Looseleaf
by Atreyl
Summary: Of allergies, misplaced Valentine's cards, and bubble baths. Memories Matt and Mello hold dear, all written on various pieces of looseleaf paper.
1. Paperback

**Looseleaf**

**I. Paperback**

Mello entered their shared apartment, swinging the plastic bag onto their couch.

"Matt! I'm home!" He shouted.

When there was no reply, he added, "And I have that manga you've been wanting!"

Matt came bounding out like an excited puppy. Mello gestured to their couch and Matt nearly jumped on it.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The redhead squealed, clutching the manga close to his chest. He peered inside the bag, and frowned. "Aw, great."

Mello poked his head out from the kitchen. "What? Did I get the wrong one?"

"No." Matt sighed. His head flopped back down on the soft cushion of their beat-up couch. "It's just, that, this is the paperback version."

"I don't think they even have hardcover," Mello said, not having the decency to at least come out of the kitchen while speaking.

"Yeah, they do!" Matt protested. "At least, for this manga anyway."

"What's wrong with the paperback version?" Now Mello came out, hands on his hips, like he did when he was all riled up for an argument.

"Well, we get into fights at least ten times a week. And you always are throwing my things around. I doubt this poor book will last," Matt told him.

Mello smiled maliciously, grabbing Matt's precious manga. "Wanna bet?"


	2. Hold My Hand

**Looseleaf**

**II. Hold My Hand**

The sickening crack of a bone seemingly breaking resounded in the room. Matt staggered back, tenderly holding his jaw. The blond looked at him with a defiant smirk.

"Ouch," Matt suddenly whimpered, crumpling to the floor.

This was not the reaction Mello had expected. In seconds, he was kneeling next to his best friend. "Broke a bone?"

"No, but two of my teeth are loose." Mello watched as Matt ran his tongue along his front teeth. "Ow," he repeated in a whimper.

"Get up. We're going to a dentist, now." Mello normally was paranoid about getting public help, but he had some connections.

"O-only if..." Matt stood up shakily, cheeks tinted pink.

"Hm?" Mello asked.

"Only if you hold my hand," Matt finished.

Mello laughed. "Okay, Matty."


	3. Cat

**Looseleaf**

**III. Cat**

"Mello?" The redhead wrapped his arms around Mello from behind.

"Mhm?" Mello answered, still reading some paper.

"You're like a cat, you know?" Matt said against his shirt.

Mello put down the paper, looking down at the other boy. "Eh?"

"Cat, you know? Kitty? Meow?" Matt made purring noises, or at least tried to.

Mello chuckled. "If I'm a kitty, then you're a puppy."

"We must be pretty weird then," Matt mused, still hugging the mafia leader.

"How so?"

"Well, we must be the only cat and dog who actually get along."


	4. Until the End

**Looseleaf**

**IV. Until the End  
**

An eight-year old Mello wandered through the halls as he ate a chocolate bar. He marveled at how tall the ceiling was, and how pretty the paintings on the wall looked. And through this fascination, he didn't hear another set of quiet, tentative footsteps following his.

When the blond finally reached the end of the hall, he took a few seconds looking around. Then, he spun on his heel to begin walking back(he wasn't supposed to be here, after all). He stopped, though, when he saw a small redheaded boy standing shyly a few feet away from him.

Eyes narrowed but curious, Mello took a half-step towards him and waved.

The boy looked up at the friendly gesture, and Mello saw the grin that broke out on his face as he waved back.

It looked a little silly: two boys merely, feet shy of each other, waving, one grinning and the other a little confused.

"Want to go raid the kitchen?" Mello broke the silence. That were his first words to the redhead.

The other boy nodded enthusiastically, and if he had a tail it'd be wagging. Mello smiled and asked for his name, in return giving his. The boy's name was Matt. He had green pretty eyes, fair skin, and soft hair.

Mello would know, because in the future, even though he had no idea right now, this was the person that would love him until the end.


	5. Box

**Looseleaf**

**V. Box  
**

"Come on, Matty! Get in!" Mello giggled rather girlishly, but didn't particularly care right now.

"No use, I can't fit!" An eight-year old Matt whined. "Owww, it hurts!"

"You wimp! Would you rather me on top?" Mello grinned up at the redhead.

"Aaaah!" Matt finally sunk down. "It's so tight in here!" He took a few deep breaths, staring at the blond below him. "M-mello, what if someone sees?"

"I promised you, remember?" Mello's hand came up to pat red tresses. "No one's going to see."

There were loud footsteps and Matt lurched forward, stifling a scream against Mello's shoulder. _Oh, god, if someone caught us now..._, he thought, eyes squeezed shut.

"Matty? It's okay. They've gone." Mello's breath was warm against his neck.

"Uwaah!" Matt suddenly pushed back, realizing how close they were. His back crashed into the weak walls and there was a loud rip as the side was ripped open. The boy tumbled out, Mello crawling out after him.

"Matty? Are you okay?" He peered at the gamer.

"I'm fine, but, do you think someone heard?" Matt turned to look at the door.

"Nah," Mello said dismissively. "Besides, if they did, it's no big deal. It's not like we were doing _that _or anything."

Matt blushed at the thought. "Well, we _were_ really close. And in a box, for god's sake!"

Mello raised an eyebrow. "What? It's not my fault that you said yes when I asked you if you want to try to fit in a cardboard box!"


	6. Sweet Embrace

**Looseleaf**

**VI. Sweet Embrace**

"Matt," Mello whimpered, shaking his companion's sleeping form.

Matt in return mumbled something incoherent.

Lightning flashed, thunder cracked.

Mello squealed in pure terror and leaped onto the redhead's bed. He feverishly clutched at the other boy's waist.

"What the heck, Mello?" Matt whined, turning to face his friend.

Mello only curled up into a ball, Matt's body spooning his.

Matt frowned, but then slowly smiled. His arms came up against Mello's shoulders to push the blond into his chest.

And they fell asleep like that, together, in a sweet, sweet embrace.


	7. Impossible

**Looseleaf**

**VII. Impossible**

Matt nervously took a bite out of his donut, leaning against the wall. In front of him, Mello peered from the side of the box they were hiding behind of.

"Are they gone?" the redhead whispered. A hand was put on his shoulder. Matt almost screamed, then realized that it was just Mello.

"Roger's gone. Let's go," Mello said through his donut. The two children instantly leaped to their feet and made a run for it. Out of the kitchen, down several halls, and finally into their shared room.

There, they collapsed on their bed in a fit of giggles.

Who said sneaking food from the kitchen was impossible?


	8. Announcement

**Looseleaf**

**VIII. Announcement**

A striped=clad redhead in denim jeans walked in their apartment, sighing. He took one look at the other man on their couch. "Mello?"

"What?" The blond's gaze was still intently focused on a laptop screen.

"I'm pregnant," said Matt flatly.

Mello craned his neck to look at him. "You're kidding, right?" He sounded rather bored.

"Yes," Matt admitted, sinking into the couch beside Mello.

"Careful," Mello muttered.

"What?" The hacker asked. He was pushed down on his back on the couch. He looked questioningly at his companion.

"If you do that again, I may be driven to actually getting you pregnant," Mello murmured against the other's neck.

"Don't be silly, M-mello," Matt said shakily.

"Can't hurt to try."


	9. Intertwined

**Looseleaf**

**IX. Intertwined**

**(**_Italics _**is Mello, **_italics and underlined _**is Matt)****  
**

Mello had a plan, and he found it brilliant.

He strode to his seat just as the bell rang. Matt followed him, playing on his DS, which was muted. When the teacher came in, he immediately launched into a long, boring lecture.

Mello quietly tore a piece of paper out from his notebook and scribbled something down on it.

_Hey._

He slid the paper to the side, to Matt's desk. The gamer looked down, turning his game off. A smile tugged at his lips.

Another slip of paper was nudged into Mello's shoulder. He unwrapped it and it said:

_Hey yourself. you'd think the great Mello would be paying attention. _

Mello grinned, writing on another piece and sliding it back.

_whatever. :P can i tell u something?_

Another paper came a few seconds later.

_what is it?_

Mello made sure that the teacher wasn't suspicious, then quickly wrote something down. He passed the paper off to Matt.

Matt opened it.

And he choked on his own spit violently, and the poor redhead was sent into a coughing fit. Beside him, Mello bit back a grin as he watched his plan slowly coming together. As he'd expected, the teacher noticed and, looking quite angry, stormed over to their adjoined desks. He snatched up the piece of paper that lay innocently on the surface.

"N-no," Matt squeaked in protest, reddening.

"Well, boys, what is so important that it can't wait until class is over?" Their math teacher turned to face the rest of the class. "Enlighten us: share your conversation."

Mello shrugged, so the teacher read the note out loud, "_I love you._"

Poor Matt banged his head on his desk, and Mello burst out laughing. But below their desks, Mello intertwined their hands, and Matt made no move to pull away.


	10. Promise

**Looseleaf**

**X. Promise  
**

"Hey, Matt?" The blond said, looking over his shoulder at the other boy who was playing on his PSP.

"Yeah?" The gamer mumbled.

Mello cracked an egg into the bowl, then started stirring the brownie mix with the wooden spoon. The brownies were double chocolate. And came with chocolate syrup. "Promise me something."

"As long as it isn't my hand in marriage," Matt replied jokingly, still focused on his game.

Mello rolled his eyes. "One would expect _me _to say that. Seeing as I'm apparently the more 'feminine' one. Anyway, promise you won't die on me, m'kay?"

Matt froze, eyeing the cooking blond in front of him. The mafia leader seemed perfectly calm. So, Matt tucked away his PSP and sat up, looking curiously at Mello.

"We're all gonna die someday," he said.

"Yeah, but I don't want you to die early, got it?" Mello looked at him sternly.

Matt smiled. "I'll try not to."

"And if you do, it better not be because of some fucking shoot-out," Mello said, returning to his bowl of mix.

Matt scoffed. "And if _you _decide to die early, it better not be because of a fire," Matt told him.

Mello scoffed back. "Don't be silly." He proceeded to pour the brownie mix into a pan, and into the oven.


	11. Stripes

**Looseleaf**

**XI. Stripes  
**

"Matt, get me some chocolate!" A fifteen-year-old Mello complained.

"If I get you some, will you quit bothering me?" A fourteen-year-old Matt asked crossly. Mello nodded solemnly, so the gamer sighed and went down to the kitchen to get the chocolate.

Grinning, Mello grabbed the sketchbook and stared at the picture Matt had been working on for the past few hours(ignoring him! Ignoring _Mello!_). It was a self-portrait, and Mello had to admit, it was awesome._  
_

Mello grabbed a pencil, tapping it thoughtfully against his chin. He wanted to let Matt know that he'd been there, but he couldn't bear to vandalize his friend's precious work. So, instead, he sketched some lines on Matt's drawn shirt. Then, he returned to his seat on his bed and waited. When his roommate returned, he tossed a chocolate bar to Mello, and returned to his drawing.

Mello saw Matt smile once he saw the stripes. Content, the blond unwrapped his chocolate bar and started eating.

The next morning found a redhead walking into a classroom with his soon-to-be trademark black and white striped shirt. Denim jeans covered his legs, and finally black combat boots to top it all off.

And Mello had to admit: he looked _damn hot._

_

* * *

_**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them. :) You guys rock._  
_**


	12. Sheep

**Looseleaf**

**XII. Sheep  
**

"Mello? Are you awake?" Matt whispered to the other man across the room.

"Nnn, what?" Mello muttered, turning over.

"Are you up?"

"Obviously, douchebag. Whaddaya want?"

"I can't sleep." The redhead looked very pitiful.

"Whatever, Matt! Don't wake me up again!" Mello huffed, turning back over.

"Fine, I'll just count sheep or something," Matt mumbled unhappily. In less than seconds, the blond was on top of him, hands clenched around his neck.

"I forbid you from ever, **_EVER _**counting sheep. Got it?" He growled.

Matt nodded. "Okay," he squeaked. When Mello got off of him, he rubbed his neck tenderly and muttered, "I don't get why you have this weird rivalry with Near anyway. Now I can't count sheep to sleep."

"Shut up!" Mello barked, then crossly went back to sleep.

* * *

**If you've read Why We're Rivals, then you know why _exactly _Near and Mello are rivals. And not just because of the whole 'Mello's-always-second' ordeal.  
**


	13. Fixing Problems

**Looseleaf**

**XIII. Fixing Problems**

The printer, Mello decided, was retarded and deserved to be shot for being inconveniently broken at the wrong time.

So he shot it.

The machine was now a burnt _thing _and Mello felt a sense of satisfaction overwhelm him. Until Matt came in the room, that is.

"Bad Mello!" He scolded when he saw the mess. "We do _not _fix problems by shooting inanimate objects!"


	14. Following Orders

**Looseleaf**

**XIV. Following Orders  
**

"Damn. It's broken," the gamer muttered to himself. He leaned back on the couch, staring with disbelief at his laptop. It had been refusing to turn on, no matter what Matt tried.

"So shoot it," came the suggestion from Mello. He snapped off a piece of chocolate, chewing slowly.

"Mello, for the last time--" Matt started in exasperation.

"--we do not fix problems by shooting inanimate objects. Whatever, Matt." The blond rolled his eyes.

"Well, what do you suggest?" Matt glared.

"Well, I could think of a few things," Mello said mischievously, "but they all share something in common: You. Me. Bedroom. Now."

Not surprisingly, Matt followed orders and sped to their bedroom, an eager blond trailing after him.


	15. Bleed

**Looseleaf**

**XV. Bleed**

"Mello!" Matt shouted, coming to a stop in front of the ruined hideout. A few minutes ago, he'd been listening to the conversation between Mello and Soichiro, when suddenly there was an explosion. There was no doubt Mello had set off the bomb. "Mello!" It was then he saw a slouched figure near the hideout's entrance, slowly, weakly, trudging up the stairs.

"H-here," the person coughed, raising a hand halfway. He swayed and fell over.

Matt caught him just in time. "Mello, stay with me." He hoisted Mello up bridal style, starting towards his car, which was safely hidden. _Miles away._

But that's okay. As long as Mello would be alive, he would walk those miles.

"Matty?" Mello rasped. Matt was still briskly walking, but slowed to a stop when he realized Mello had called him _that. _He hadn't been called that in years.

"I'm here, Mels," he replied softly. After glancing back at the hideout, he started to walk again.

Mello gripped the front of Matt's striped shirt. "I-I failed...they took the notebook..."

Matt's hold on him tightened. "Shh, shh, you didn't fail. You had no other choice. We'll get it back, all right?"

"I'm a failure, Matty. I failed, they have the notebook, and Near's probably ahead of me. I'm such a--" Mello buried his face into the striped shirt, trembling.

Matt looked down on him, only to stop a second time. He noticed the ugly scar that marred the left side of Mello's face. "Don't be naive," he said quietly. "Even heroes have the right to bleed."

"It's not easy to be me," Mello murmured before passing out.

Soon, Matt found himself walking again, his car finally coming into sight. He carefully put Mello in the passenger seat, and drove off.

* * *

_It may sound absurd, but don't be naive_

_Even heroes have the right to bleed_

_I may be disturbed, but won't you concede_

_Even heroes have the right to dream_

_And it's not easy to be me_

Superman, by Five for Fighting_  
_


	16. Pessimist

**Looseleaf**

**XVI. Pessimist**

Matt stretched, yawning. "Tomorrow, I'm going to die--"

As soon as the words had left his mouth, a rampaging blond was sitting on his lap, fisting striped material into his hand. "You're not allowed to be a pessimist. You will not die any time soon, as long as I live," Mello growled.

Matt blew out a breath in exasperation. "You didn't let me finish," he said. "I was going to tell you that I'm _dyeing_ my hair tomorrow. Make it darker."

Mello frowned. "You're not allowed to that, either."


	17. M&M's

**Looseleaf**

**XVII. M&M's**

The familiar sound of the door opening roused Mello from his nap. He craned his neck to see Matt coming in, holding something in his hands.

"You better not have brought home a stray," Mello warned him.

"I didn't." Matt cooed some sweet nothings to whatever he had in his hands.

"Okay, Matt. What the hell?" Mello stood and walked over. The redhead made no protest as Mello looked in his hands.

There was a red M&M and a yellow one.

"Do you like 'em?" Matt whispered. "I saved them all day and I'm never ever eating them."

"Idiot!" Mello yelled, whacking Matt over the head.

Matt whimpered. "Have a heart, will you?"

"THEY'RE CANDY!" Mello shouted. He swiped Matt's precious M&M's and popped them into his mouth. Viciously chewing, he turned and stomped away.

"Mini-Matt...Mini-Mello..." Matt whispered in sadness.


	18. Manners

**Looseleaf**

**XVIII. Manners**

The blond was sitting on the side of the tub, running his hands through Matt's hair. Matt was seated in the tub, which was filled with water and bubbles combined.

"Why can't I take my own baths?" He complained half-heartedly. Secretly, he liked it when Mello washed his hair for him.

"So your hair stays nice and soft and fluffy." Mello rolled his eyes.

"Are you implying it's not when _I _wash it?" Matt asked.

"No," Mello said evenly, then set about to wetting Matt's hair. After some time of scrubbing and water-dousing, Mello reached for the shampoo that was on the other side of the tub. "Get the shampoo," he ordered Matt, too tired to do so himself.

"Manners, Mello," Matt said like some mother. "What's the magic word?"

"Horseshit?" Mello tried.

"No." Matt frowned up at the other, but the effect was ruined by the bubbles that crowned his hair. "Come on, Mels."

"Just give me the fuckin' shampoo before I decide to shoot your head!" Mello almost yelled.

Matt sighed and grudgingly gave him the shampoo.


	19. Pup

**Looseleaf**

**XIX. Pup**

One morning found Matt, yet again, carrying something in his hands. Now Mello glared at him. "It better not be M&M's," he nearly growled.

Matt smiled, lowering the crook of his elbow so Mello could see.

It was a puppy.

"Matt!" The chocoholic groaned exasperatedly.

"Come on, Mello!" Matt began to complain. "I've _never _had a pet."

Mello frowned. "Yeah you did. Remember that butterfly and that panda?"

Matt pouted. "You killed my butterfly and my panda died after a month. Mello, pandas don't eat chocolate."

"He was hungry and trying to eat my hand!" Mello said angrily.

"Whatever." Matt rolled his eyes. "But seriously, hold him. Then tell me if we should kick this one back out on the streets." He gingerly handed the sleeping puppy to Mello's unwilling arms. The moment he was in the crook of Mello's elbow, the puppy let out this little 'yawn' and blinked its black eyes open. It looked up at Mello innocently.

"Well?" The looks Matt--and the pup--were giving Mello was too much.

He crumbled. "Fine."


	20. Photo Booth

**Looseleaf**

**XX. Photo Booth**

"Oh, I love these!" Matt squealed, dragging his boyfriend to a nearby photo booth.

Mello groaned. "I don't," he grumbled. "Whenever we take a picture together, you always give me bunny ears. It's not funny!"

Matt giggled rather girlishly. "But you look cute!"

"Not when I'm pissed. Plus, this is dangerous."

"Aw, come on. Kira's retired a while ago."

"No."

"Too late. We're going."

And that was how, five minutes later, the couple emerged from the booth. Matt grabbed the pictures and smiled. Before he showed Mello, he tore off the last piece.

"What?" Mello asked when he finished looking at the other ones. "What's that one?" He stole the picture before Matt could do anything about it. Smiling playfully, he looked at the picture.

Then frowned.

"MATT, YOU IDIOT!" He shrieked, seeing the bunny ears behind his head.

The picture was thrown to the ground and stomped on multiple times before an angry blond stormed away. Matt laughed whole-heartedly, picking the picture up.

"Don't worry, folks!" He called to the people looking at them strangely. "She's just PMSing is all!" He smiled at the picture in his hands and ran after Mello.

* * *

**Heh. Matt called Mello a she.**


	21. Questions

**Looseleaf**

**XXI. Questions**

"Matty, would you rather die than not have me?" A chocoholic asked.

"Yes, Mello." Matt didn't look up from his game.

"Okay. Would you rather die than have me dying?"

"Yes, Mello."

"Would you rather die than get me chocolate in the middle of the night?"

"Yes."

"Matty!" Mello pouted.

"Just kidding," Matt said, pausing his game. He leaned over to kiss Mello on the lips. "I'd rather die than _anything _if it included your well-being."


	22. Sleep

**Looseleaf**

**XXII. Sleep**

"Mello? Are you awake?" The soft whisper was barely audible, though a blond heard it. He opened his eyes, looking down at the gamer that was comfortably curled up against his waist.

"What?" Mello asked with a hint of irritation.

"I can't sleep," Matt admitted. He drew lazy circles on the cotton that separated his finger from a bare, toned torso.

Mello exhaled. "Count sheep, then."

"But you told me I wasn't allowed."

"Do whatever. I'm going back to sleep." And he closed his eyes.

There was a small sigh, followed by some rustling as Matt tried to find another good sleeping position. Finally, he spread himself out beside Mello, using the other boy's chest for a pillow. "Mello?" He said quietly.

There was no answer as he stared at the blond's peaceful face. Convinced the older boy was asleep, Matt yawned and said, "You're pretty when you're sleeping." Then he managed to doze off, also.

Minutes later, blue irises looked down on the younger boy. Unknown to the redhead, that last comment had been heard.

Mello's lips twitched up into a small smile.


	23. Dear Mello

**Looseleaf**

**XXIII. Dear Mello**

Mello was visibly in a bad mood and Matt hated it.

"Mello?" He said tentatively. The blond just glared at him before returning his glare to the window. He snapped off a piece of his chocolate bar.

Matt sighed, then smiled. "_The sun is up, the sky is blue__, it's beautiful and so are you__, dear Mello won't you come out to play_?"

He hugged the mafia boss from behind, rocking them back and forth. _"Dear Mello let me see you smile__, dear Mello like a little child."_

"All right, all right." Mello laughed, pushing Matt away. He smiled. "Don't sing that."

Matt smiled back. Anything to make his Mello happy.

* * *

**Song is 'Dear Prudence' by the Beatles, with some minor adjustments. :)**


	24. Magic

**Looseleaf**

**XXIV. Magic**

A six-year-old Mello was showing the younger orphans a magic trick. Only, they were smart enough to think that he didn't really swallow the coin. Nonetheless, they praised his attempts and Mello enjoyed the attention.

There was one particular morning, when Mello had just finished his usual routine. He bowed, half-jokingly, as the children clapped. The blond turned to leave, but instead found a finger pointing at him. It belonged to a goggled boy.

"Magic," the boy said, looking amazed.

Mello laughed. "No," he said, showing the redhead how he didn't really swallow the coin.

"Oh," the redhead said, sounding dismayed. "No magic."

Mello smiled and ruffled his hair. He liked this kid.

* * *

**I believe that Mello wasn't always hostile.**


	25. Overrated

**Looseleaf**

**XXV. Overrated  
**

Mello was searching through Matt's computers, looking through the gamer's bookmarks, lacking something to do. After the 59th game site he'd found, the chocoholic finally found a bookmark that led to fanfiction. In the Death Note archive, with the filter settings set to Matt and Mello, rating: All.

Mello smirked. "So, why Matt and Mello?" He asked the redhead laying down beside him. He smirked.

"Because L and Light are overrated," Matt replied.


	26. Angel

**Looseleaf**

**XXVI. Angel**

"Mm, Mello," Matt cooed against blond hair.

Mello slowly blinked his eyes open, looking up at his lover. "Yeah?"

"Angels," Matt said, smiling. Mello looked like one of them, with the way the sunlight from their window made his hair look like a golden halo, and those bright blue eyes were heaven to fall in to. He looked innocent. "Angels," Matt repeated softly. "Are they even real?"

Mello hit him, but not hard enough to hurt. He shook his head. "Go look in a mirror, and you'd find one."


	27. Contradiction

**Looseleaf**

**XXVII. Contradiction**

Most would be happy on their 17th birthday. Not a certain blond, however.

On December 13th, Mello slapped Matt away when his boyfriend yelled "Happy birthday!"

"Ow." Matt rubbed his cheek. "What was that for, Mel?"

Mello glared in response. "Birthdays are not something to be celebrated! So what if you turn a year older? It's only a year closer to death." He paused, and realized something. "It's a year closer to death for _me. _Matt, what if I were fated to die next year? W-what if I don't beat Near by then?"

Matt scoffs. "The day you won't bear Near is the day I will be seme." He huffed at his sentence.

This makes Mello angrier. "Well, what if one day I want to be dominated? What then, huh?!"

Matt just smiled and stroked his boyfriend's cheeks lovingly. "I still wouldn't do it."

"And why not, ass?"

"Because if I said I'd do it, it would contradict the sentence I said earlier, duh."


	28. Bedtime Story

**Looseleaf**

**XXVIII. Bedtime Story**

"Matt, I can't sleep," Mello whispered against the redhead's neck. "So freaking cold..." He hugged the other man's chest tighter as if to prove it.

Matt made an unintelligible noise and muttered, "What you want me to," yawn, "do about it?"

"Tell me a story," Mello suggested.

"Once upon a time an asshole woke up his boyfriend in the middle of the night to hear a bedtime story. His boyfriend told him and story and he went back to sleep. The end," Matt murmured sleepily.

Mello frowned and smacked his shoulder. "Ass."

"Mhm. That's why you love me." Within seconds, the redhead had moved so that his body was spooning Mello's.

And the blond fell asleep within minutes.


	29. Easter

**Looseleaf**

**XXIX. Easter**

"Matt, please, please! Give it to me!"

"Mello, no--ow, my thigh! Damn it, why are you so fuckin' crazy during Easter?"

"Please, please, please, please!"

"Mello! You do _not _bite people's shoulders to get chocolate."

"Give me the fucking egg, and no one gets hurt!"

"Dammit, I'm _already _hurt."

"Shut up and gimme!"

"No!"

"Give. It."

"I refuse."

"Matty, please?"

"No--ah, no fair! You can't use the puppy eyes on me!"

"Pwease?"

"Gah, fine, you rabid Easter bunny."


	30. Change

**Looseleaf**

**XXX. Change**

As Matt stared at his blond lover, he can't help but wonder why anyone would want to change him. Why had Roger, back at Wammy's, wanted to change Mello's hostile personality? Without it, Mello wouldn't have been able to get into the Mafia and wouldn't have probably survived in the world.

Why had the other orphans wanted Mello to stop wearing black? In Matt's opinion, it contrasted against Mello's blond hair, making it look three times brighter.

Why had their teachers wanted to keep them in separate classes? If they had gotten their way, Matt wouldn't be as close to Mello as he would be now...he wouldn't be in the same bed with him, wouldn't be in love with him.

Why did everyone seem to want to change such a beautiful creature?

Sure, Mello wasn't the most subtle person, or the most kind one. He wasn't the perfect son anyone would want, wasn't the most tolerant friend someone could wish for. He was tainted with sins, and was even more so as he grew up.

But truth be told, that was how Matt would, and did, want him.


	31. Green

**Looseleaf**

**XXXI. Green**

Green was Mello's favorite color.

It was bright, vibrant, energetic. It resembled him.

He could say that yellow resembled him as well. It, too, radiated energy, but it had the calmness that Mello did not like. He was, after all, everything but calm most of the time, as much as he hated to admit.

Green was unique, something he liked to call himself. He was pretty sure no one else in the world was like him.

Green was the color of the liquor bottle Mello liked to drink from.

Green was the color of the grass he used to love running on.

Green was the color of a whole watermelon, the only healthy snack he was fond of.

Green was the color of Matt's eyes.


	32. Blunt

**Looseleaf**

**XXXII. Blunt  
**

"Hey, Matt," Mello said to the gamer beside him.

"What?" Matt was still completely enraptured by his game.

"Are you straight?"

This made the game console fall out of Matt's hand. The question had been so..._blunt. _"No," Matt said sarcastically, half-kidding, "I prefer men over women."

"Then, you wouldn't mind if I do this?" Mello asked, sounding completely serious.

"Do what?" Matt wanted to know, looking up. As a reply, soft lips pressed themselves warmly against his.

"That," Mello said when he had pulled away.

"N-no." Matt stared disbelievingly at Mello. "Are _you_ straight?" It sounded silly, especially after what Mello had just done.

Said chocoholic smirked. "Straight as a rainbow, dear."

* * *

**Gah! 8 reviews to 100! *spasm***


	33. Game Over

**Looseleaf**

**XXXIII. Game Over**

"Will you put down the fuckin' game and fucking pay more attention to me?!" Mello shouted, no doubt bothering their neighbors. He glared down at the redheaded gamer relaxed against their couch.

"One more level," Matt muttered, fingers mashing buttons.

"Hmph. Fine." The blond stomped away.

Matt paused his game to scratch his head, looking after Mello. The mafia leader never agreed to something willingly without a fight.

Maybe he had a change of heart, Matt thought, then almost burst out laughing at the stupidity of the thought. He unpaused his game and continued to play.

A few minutes later...

"Oh, Matty..." drawled a sexy, flirtatious voice.

Matt glanced up, intending to shoot Mello a glare and return to his pixelated-zombie-killing. Instead, his gaze became hooked on the blond who was stark naked in front of him, smirking dangerously.

A DS dropped to the couch as Matt practically tackled the other man. The words 'Game Over' flashed over and over again in a red font.

Honestly, Matt didn't care.


	34. 100

**Looseleaf**

**XXXIV. 100**

"Mello, how would you see me when I'm 100 years old?" Matt asked, staring at his reflection self-consciously. Behind him, Mello snorted, not looking up from the book he was reading.

"Matt, if you keep up your smoking habits, you won't _live _to be a 100," he retorted.

"But, Mello, what if I did?" Matt prodded, turning around to face the other.

Mello sighed and stood up. He strode over to Matt, cupping the redhead's face and bringing him close. "Matty," he said slowly, "when you're 100, I will see you as an old and wrinkly man whose hair is gray. I will see you as someone who's lived longer than most smokers do, someone who still plays with his video games and can beat anyone else."

Matt frowned. "Mello--"

Mello pressed his lips firmly against the gamer's, successfully cutting him off. "And I will see you as the one and only person I've ever loved."

* * *

**The chapter title is 100 because I've got 100 reviews, although this is almomst entirely irrelevant. Ah, well. It's MattxMello, nothing else matters.**

**Frosting for everyone! *hands out jars*  
**


	35. Dizzy

**Looseleaf**

**XXXV. Dizzy**

The redhead felt uncomfortable being surrounded by bodies grinding against one another. He managed to slip out of the dancing crowd and take a seat in one of the couches in the corner or the bar.

"Come on, Matt, live a little!" Someone punched him in the back of the head. That someone was drunk, and therefore that punch hurt.

Matt shook his head. "Nah, I'm good, thanks."

The person narrowed their eyes before being whisked away by their partner.

"Wow, Matt, you're a bloody genius," Matt muttered under his breath, looking around. "Yeah, let's go to a bar and get _plastered. _Matt, that was so fucking original." His eyes roamed the room for another possibly good spot, seeing as a couple just started molesting each other five feet away from him. He caught sight of an empty barstool at the bar, quickly coming over to claim his spot before anyone else could.

"What can I get you?" The bartender asked.

"A water," Matt said, feeling like someone was watching him. The goggled man turned to his right and saw a shorter blond looking at him questioningly. The bartender came back and handed Matt a bottle of water, which he gladly took a swig out of. "Hey, you look sort of fami--HOLY SHIT!" Literally, water spewed out of his mouth when he recognized the blond as Mello.

"Hey!" The bartender said angrily.

"You made's him angry," the blond giggled.

Matt slammed his water bottle down, mostly to keep himself from fainting. "Ah, shit, Mello, it's really you. My god..."

Mello frowned, jutting out his lower lip cutely. "I'm not 'shit-Mello.' I'm just--_hic!_-- Mello. Plain's old Mello, yep, that's me." Now he had started spinning himself on the barstool, laughing giddily.

Ignoring the bartender yelling at him, Matt grabbed Mello's shoulders to still the older one. Noticing the vodka bottle tightly clenched in Mello's hand, Matt whispered, "You're drunk."

"Hell yeah!" Mello nearly shouted, pumping up a fist. Then, as if that made him dizzy, his head lolled forward, taking his body with him. His head landed awkwardly on Matt's knee. "I'm reeeeaaaaally tired, y'know?" he mumbled, nuzzling his nose into the rough denim.

Matt reddened, hastily standing up, supporting the blond. "We're going home, okay?" He said to the half-conscious Mello, who barely nodded in return. "Okay, give me the vodka bottle, Mel."

Mello frowned, clutching the bottle close. "No--_hic!_--! L-leave me and my v-vodka alone, dammit."

After Matt managed to pry the bottle off from him, he escorted them to his car, Mello whining all the way. When they got to the Camaro, Mello suddenly looked up at Matt, blue irises trying to focus. "You look a lot like Matt, you know? Are you his--_hic!_-- friend?" he hiccuped.

Matt smiled tryingly. "S-sure." They had to get home soon. Already, he could see gangsters peering out of their hiding places, searching for people to ambush.

Mello smiled back. "Tell him that he looks hot, m'kay?"

"Sure--What?!" Matt blinked, taking a sudden step back.

Mello supported himself, a hand gripping the hood of Matt's car. "Oh, hey, it's Matt....Hi, Matty!" he slurred. "Can we go home? I have to feed my turtle..." Again, his eyes fluttered shut and he started to fall forward. Matt caught him in time.

"Ah, what am I going to do with you...?" The redhead mumbled to himself as he sat the blond in the passenger seat. Matt got in the car and drove back to his apartment, letting his drunk best friend a long-time crush hold his hand tightly as if it were a lifeline.

"Love you, Matty..." Mello slurred, nuzzling the hand to his cheek.

Matt knew in the morning Mello would forget about this, and they would be back together again, but only as best friends. _Screw it, _he thought, glancing at the now-sleeping Mello. He smiled. _Might as well enjoy it while it lasts. _"I love you, too, Mello."


	36. Window

**Looseleaf**

**XXXVI. Window**

"MELLO! MELLO, HELP ME!" A redhead wildly screamed. "MELL--OW, GODAMMIT!"

"Matt, don't curse!" Mello said(hypocrite), entering the room. "What? You better--" He cut himself off, seeing that Matt was stuck. Halfway through the window.

"Don't just fucking stare!" Matt snapped. "Please...help me...I'm getting strangely nauseated..."

"What were you doing?" Mello inquired, resting a hand on the redhead's bent back.

"I was smoking over here cuz' I know that you hate the smell of smoke. Then my cigarette fell and I grabbed for it...Then this damn demented window came crashing down on my while I was still reaching out. Help me, Mel." Matt wiggled around, desperate for escape.

Mello laughed giddily. "Ah, this is too good." He flashed the redhead a wolfy grin, which Matt returned with the middle finger. Mello tutted, slapping his raised butt playfully. "You're in no position to talk."

"I wasn't talking," Matt grumbled. "Get me out of here," he said louder.

An evil glint passed through Mello's eyes. "Nah, I think I'm good." He plopped down their couch, eating his chocolate luxuriously.

"Mello, godammit, get me out!" Matt shouted.

"Don't take the Lord's name in vain, Matty," Mello said innocently, turning on their stereo and making it loud enough so the redhead's pleas were drowned out.

"Bastard," Matt mumbled under his breath, going limp and just hanging there.

He still loved him, though.


	37. Puzzle Piece

**Looseleaf**

**XXXVII. Puzzle Piece**

"Matt, where's the final puzzle piece?" Mello asked in an unsually nice manner. He sat in front of his almost-completed puzzle of a chocolate bar.

Matt shrugged, smiling playfully. "Maybe I hid it...or not..."

Mello sighed, uncrossing his legs and standing up. "Matt, can I have it?"

"You have to find it first," Matt said, looking satisfied with himself.

Mello strode over to him, and to the redhead's surprise, he wrapped his arms around the younger man. Matt almost screamed when he felt Mello's hand slip into the back pocket of his jeans.

Mello pulled back, holding up the final puzzle piece triumphantly. "Found it."


	38. Difference

**Looseleaf**

**XXXVIII. Difference**

"D'you notice something different, Matt?" Mello asked, planting himself in front of the gamer.

Matt hesitantly looked up from his game, an eyebrow raised. "Um, no?"

"Put it away," Mello ordered.

With a sigh, Matt saved his game and turned it off, storing it away safely in his pockets. He looked resentfully back at Mello. "What?"

"Do you notice any difference in me?" Mello repeated.

"You...are not cussing," Matt said boredly.

"No! Something else."

"You are currently not eating chocolate."

"Ye--Oh, you're right." Mello fetched himself a bar of chocolate and came back. "Continue."

"You are shirtless and not wearing your leather vest."

"Come on, Matty, be more observing."

Matt pretended to squint his eyes. "I got it! You have a tiny cut on your cheek."

"No!"

"Then what is it?"

"I cut my hair half an inch shorter! How could you not notice?"

Matt looked at him as if to say, _WTF? _"Wow, Mello," he said sarcastically, and resumed his gaming.

Mello flipped his half-an-inch-shorter hair over a bare shoulder. "Well. It's not my fault I'm prettier than most men and women."


	39. Untouchable

**Looseleaf**

**XXXIX. Untouchable**

Mello was loopy, dizzy, and unfocused. Mello was drunk.

He laughed in giddy, dancing mindlessly around Matt, who was looking quite confused. "M-Mel, are you okay?" the redhead stammered.

"_We're gettin' higher every time that we love,_" Mello sang loudly, voice slurred and out-of-tune. "_A little closer to the things we fall back on_." He continued his dance around Matt. _"If you come over, then together, willing, we'll take over the world." _The last word was yelled by Mello as he jumped on Matt's back. He clung on to his shoulders, still singing, _"The summer air is here so get your dress on and dance around...like no one...cares..." _he whispered.

"Mello, are you okay?" Matt gingerly set the blond back on his feet, blushing at their closeness. If Mello kept this up, Matt's feelings for him would surface, he was sure of it!

"_Come on, come on, come on, you know you wanna," _Mello screamed, tackling Matt to the floor. "_Come on, come on, come on, and celebrate. 'Cuz we are together--"_

His voice dropped an octave as his head unconsciously lowered closer to Matt's.

_"--made for each other--"_

Mello's eyes fluttered shut, but he kept singing, more quietly.

_"--we can stand alone. And now no one can touch us."_

Matt was blushing like mad. He watched Mello lean in closer through half-lidded eyes. His heart was hammering and he was holding his breath and he was frozen and his hands were trembling and _ohgodohgodohgod _was he _scared._

The last few inches that separated them was quickly closed, and they were only a centimeter apart...

Then Mello fell atop the gamer, his face coming to be buried in Matt's neck as he went unconscious.

* * *

**Song is No One Can Touch Us, by Sing It Loud. ^^**


	40. Wound

**Looseleaf**

**XXXX. Wound**

The eight-year-old redhead stumbled through the door of their room, bawling loudly. He threw himself at the blond sitting on their bed studying.

Sighing, Mello put away his books and patted Matt's back. "What's the matter now, Matty?"

"I r-ran into t-the table and...I got hurt!" Matt sniffled, pulling up his shirt halfway to reveal a little bruise.

"Matt, that's silly," nine-year-old Mello said.

"Will you kiss it anyway?" Matt asked, rubbing at his uncovered eyes as more tears spilled out.

Mello rolled his eyes. "You're such a baby." But he kissed it anyway.


	41. Proposal

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXI. Proposal  
**

Mello was acting suspicious.

Firstly, Matt had observed, the blond opted to step out of the room whenever he had a phone call. Matt already knew Mello was in the Mafia and sometimes had calls from his thugs, so why couldn't Mello answer the call with Matt around?

Secondly, Mello refused to let Matt in their room and forced the gamer to sleep on the couch for one painful, sleepless night.

Third, Mello refused to cook any food for Matt. He even locked the pantry...

"Mello!" Matt whined that night after Mello ordered him to get changed in his nicest clothes. "Are you cheating on me?" The thought had never crossed Matt's mind before; he and Mello had been dating since a year ago, and he knew Mello wouldn't purposely hurt him, physically or emotionally. Unless...the person giving Mello phone calls was his new boyfriend. They probably had sex when Matt wasn't in the house and Mello forgot to change the sheets, so he forced Matt to sleep out on the couch so he can change them. He locked the pantry and only gave him a piece of bread to eat for today because he suddenly hated Matt. And now, he wanted Matt to change into something nice so they could go and meet Mello's new boyfriend, and then Mello would tell him, "We're over." and leave him as he and his new boyfriend rode off into the sunset.

"Cheating on you?" Mello laughed.

Matt turned as red as his hair. "It's not funny...Answer the question, Mels."

Mello smiled, looking amused. "Oh, god. You're actually convinced that I--?" He trailed off, shaking his head. He strode over to Matt, cupping the younger man's face. "You're such an impatient bastard, y'know that? To explain, the phone calls I kept receiving this morning was from that fancy restaurant in town. I was trying to get a reservation for us, and I wanted to surprise you, so I couldn't let you hear the conversation. That's connected to why I only gave you a piece of bread to eat...I wanted you to eat a lot tonight at the restaurant. And the only reason I quarantined you from our room is because I lost this and didn't want you to find it by accident." Mello took out a small, velvet box.

Matt's breathing hitched.

"This was supposed to happen tonight during dinner, but again, you're an impatient bastard. Anyway, this was what I lost and spent almost the whole fuckin' day looking for." Mello knelt down in front of the blushing gamer and opened the box, revealing a gold, shiny ring. "Mail Jeevas, will you marry me?"


	42. Scrabble

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXI. Scrabble**

Both men had been bored earlier, so that was probably why they were, currently, playing Scrabble in their small dining room. Matt triumphantly finished spelling out S-N-O-W, going diagonal from Mello's P-A-R-T-I-E-S.

"I'm ten points ahead of you, Mel," Matt said, grinning as he noted his score.

Mello rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that..." He looked decisively at the letters he had, then began to spell something out, starting with Matt's 'w.'

W-I-L-L-Y-O-U--

Mello sighed in irritation before grabbing more letters out of a small black bag. Matt started to protest, but Mello silenced him with a glare. The blond counted the numerous letters, and began to spell them out. When he finished, all Matt could do was gape at the message made before him.

W-I-L-L-Y-O-U-M-A-R-R-Y-M-E

Without hesitation, Matt scrambled to put in Y-E-S.

* * *

**So. I've been toying with some ideas on how either of them would propose to each other...prepare yourself for upcoming fics about their infamous proposals!**

**.A  
**


	43. Online

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXII. Online**

There was more than one reason why Matt loved the internet.

Probably the most important one was that he could talk to people without having to be _with _them, considering Matt's ridiculously true phobia of being around too many people.

One particular morning, he was sitting on his desk in front of his laptop, steadily working his way through his seventh cigarette. Mello was in the other room; the PMSing bastard was ignoring him all day for no reason...

The laptop emitted a small 'beep' and Matt looked at the bottom right corner of his screen, where a tiny message alerted him that someone was chatting with him. Opening the chat box, he was relieved to find _WillShootYou _online. Yes, the username would have sounded strange to someone else, but Matt's was _MMJ, _his initials for Mail "Matt" Jeevas.

_WillShootYou says: hey_

_MMJ says: hi_

Matt had known _WillShootYou _for quite some time. He remembered, fuzzily, that boring September day during the days of Wammy's when he had first discovered the online gaming site. There, he had found _WillShootYou. _They became friends almost immediately, and his online friend kept him company during the years Mello was gone.

_WillShootYou says: Went to the park 2day_

Matt's heart subconciously sped up. He had driven past the park earlier; did his friend live nearby?

No, even if he did, he wouldn't agree to meeting, even if they'd known each other for nearly eleven years via online chatting.

_MMJ says:__ oh rly? what happened?_

_WillShootYou says: an old bitch beat me with her purse...but that's ok cuz I stole her crutch when she wasn't looking and she fell over and she couldnt get up_

_MMJ says: lol_

_WillShootYou says: ugly bitch deserved it._

_MMJ says: I think i can marry you haha_

_WillShootYou says: ..........would you?_

Matt didn't hesitate, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he typed his answer.

_MMJ says: sure. unless you turn out to be straight, i'd marry you.......ur better than my ass of a roommate._

_WillShootYou says: okay then. MMJ, will you marry me?_

Matt laughed out loud. No wonder he and this guy got along good.

_MMJ says:__ I DOOOOOO. Will you, WillShootYou, marry me and promise you won't actually shoot me?_

_WillShootYou says: I do and i pinky promise i won't._

_WillShootYou says: now we're officially a virtual couple, d'you mind turning around?_

Matt frowned, confused at the sentence. Then he turned like the obedient puppy he was, and there was Mello kneeling in front of him, holding out a ring._  
_


	44. Stick

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXIII. Stick**

"Matt. What the hell?" Mello stood, looking bewildered, in front of the gamer, who was kneeling and playing with..._sticks. _There was one in each of his hands, one sloppily colored red and the other yellow.

Matt looked up, a trace of embarrassment in his eyes. "Oh, hey Mel."

"Again: what the fuck?" Mello sat down next to him.

Matt shrugged. "It's entertaining." He made the red-colored stick 'face' Mello and added in a squeaky voice, "Yeah, it's entertaining. Join meeee!"

Mello rolled his eyes. "I should stab you with these sticks right now..."

"But you won't!" Matt said, pushing the yellow-colored stick towards Mello. "Here's yours."

Mello hesitantly recieved it. He looked at Matt. "What now?"

"Make it talk, silly!"

Sometimes, Mello seriously doubted Matt's sexuality.

Though somehow, fifteen minutes later, he found himself quite enjoying playing with the sticks.


	45. Willow

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXV. Willow**

I remember.

I remember the large willow tree outside, in the playground, the ones where the others cowered from, because they knew that you practically _owned _it. I remember the day when I just moved in the orphanage, and I was completely uneducated about the invisible rules that everyone followed.

I remember sitting underneath the shady willow, leaning against the wide trunk and propping my game on my pulled-up knees. I was smashing away at the buttons when you suddenly jumped from the tree branches above onto the space next to me. I didn't look up, but I could picture your snooty smile, as if you were glad that, finally, someone had enough guts to cross your territory, even if I was there just by accident.

That day, you took my gameboy away from me, the one thing I had left of my mother. I cried for days afterwards, refusing to leave my room. Apparently, my reputation fired up because of this and I became the emo kid. Rumors flew around...I was suicidal, I cut, I was planning to kill myself like another orphan named A had done.

I remember the quiet creaking of my door as you tried to sneak in, but I saw your reflection on the window I was looking out of. You sheepishly handed me my game and just stood there awkwardly. I received it with trembling hands, and I remember tackling you in a bear hug and thanking you over and over again.

I remember the nice, heartwarming memories that we created together under that willow tree. We used it for picnics, as our hiding places after a prank, and most of the time, just a place to be in a comfortable solitude.

We had our first kiss there, on the night we set a stink bomb off in Near's room. In the darkness, my lips accidentally found yours, and in less than three seconds of realization of what just happened, you scrambled down the tree and ran. The next day, you came back to the tree and I was still there, because, as much as I hate to admit it even today, I hadn't known how to climb down. You had to get Roger with a ladder to rescue me.

That willow tree was special. Underneath its shady leaves, I confessed my love to you, and you smiled and happily told me the feeling was mutual. The limbs of the tree seemed to reach down to us as we embraced.

The willow tree also held sad memories.

I remember our last night, under the comforting branches, looking up at the starless night sky. You were gripping my hand tightly, head resting on my shoulder. A few yards to your left was your black bag, filled with your belongings.

One last kiss, one last hug, one last goodbye, and you were gone, whisked away by the wind by sunrise.

I stayed under that tree, numb and unfeeling.

But I'd have to move eventually, right?

So move, I did. I left Wammy's when I was old enough, took my trust fund with me as I officially became an adult. I went to Japan first, instincts telling me I'd somehow find you there. I was lost for the first few weeks there, blindly hacking into systems, trying to get a lead on where to find you.

Finally, I did. In burning ruins, some random place I just happened to be driving by. I saw you dragging yourself out from the flames, and I jumped out of my car to help you, though at that time I didn't know that it was _you _that I'd found.

Within a week, you were back on your feet again, and by then I had finally noticed that I'd found you. You didn't seem the least bit affected, and just smirked, as if you knew I'd find you. I couldn't find, in those cold, blue eyes, the boy that I had fallen in love with more than three years ago, and instead found a very changed man. You seemed like you had forgotten our past, that promise you made to me(_"I'll find you again. And then after that, we'll be M together and we'll get a real nice house, and it'll be just you and me."_) and you didn't display any care if you saw how that affected me.

Now here I sit on our couch, tapping away at my gameboy, watching you watch me with a disdainful look from the corner of my eyes. My facial expression is neutral, but behind my goggled eyes, I'm crying, and it's taking me every ounce of self-control not to reach up, yank off the bloody thing, and just show you how much I was hurting.

Of course, I don't. I continue to _tap tap tap _away until the tears were gone and you had left the room. I quickly wipe my goggles dry and snap them back on, resuming my gaming.

Days later, I find myself putting my life on the line, and for you, of all people. The boy who loved me once upon a time, and later on showed me that he might not have really cared. Not that it matters, though. It's too late now, as I step out of my car.

"Listen, I'm connected to Takada's kidnapper."

Literally, my life flashes before me. I remember that willow tree, and as I faced death in the face, I could only hope you remembered, too.

This comes from the bottom of my heart, Mello, even if you were the one who broke it. I haven't told you this since we met back up again, but I right now, just before I go, I want to tell you that I lov--

* * *

**Horribly depressing, eh? Plus, I wrote this in First Person, which isn't supposed to happen in Looseleaf, but I guess it's all right.**

**Sorry for the emo-ness, I needed to get this out of my system...back to happy fics!**

**.A  
**


	46. Flipped

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXVI. Flipped**

"Yes, of course I will, you bastard!" Mello pulled the redhead up none-too-gently and kissed those wonderfully soft lips.

Matt looked sad. "So...you don't want to?" He shook his head after another silence. "Of course. This was silly. I should have--"

Mello gaped, mouth hanging open about three inches wide and eyes wide. He stared, disbelievingly at the gamer kneeling down in front of him, presenting a velvet box that contained a small ring with a diamond center. "W-wha--?"

Beads of sweat starting to form on his temple, Matt knelt down and awkwardly looked up at Mello, who had a confused face. "M-Mello, I have never ever done this before, so forgive me if it sucks, but here I go anyway. Mel, I've known you practically my whole life, and, uh, I decided that I really really like--Ah, I'll cut the shit. Will you marry me?"

"What is it?" Mello smiled, tilting his head to the side and watching the redhead step away.

Matt nuzzled into the crook of the blond's neck after pulling away. "Can I ask you something?"

"Love you, too, Matty," Mello sighed.

Matt pressed his lips against Mello's, murmuring, "God, I love you." He had nothing to worry about homophobes; he had rented this place all to him and Mello for the whole night, so no one was going to be barging in a bothering them any time soon.

"It's fancy, wow." Mello looked surprised in a pleased way. "Now, if that fountain over there sprouted chocolate instead of water, I think I'd--"

Matt blushed, squeezing Mello's hand as they entered the restaurant. "Yeah." Once he helped Mello get the silky fabric off, he gestured for him to look around. "So...do you like it?"

"Can I take it off now?" Mello whined, referring to the black blindfold that cut off his vision.

"Almost there, I promise, Mel."

"How about now? Damn, I'm starving."

"No, you can't! That'd ruin the surprise!"

"Why can I take off this bloody thing? It's fuckin' bothering me."

"We're almost there."

"Are we there yet, Matt?"


	47. Hyper

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXVII. Hyper**

"Mello, Mello, Mello, _MELLO!_" came a shriek from a certain redheaded gamer.

"What?" Mello hissed from the living room, slamming down the book he was reading to look at Matt.

"I've gotta tell you something!" Matt screeched.

Mello instinctively covered his ears, looking miffed. "What?"

"I wanna marry you!"

"_...What?_" Mello said for the third time.

"I wanna marry you."

"Yeah, I heard that the first time...Seriously?" He looked skeptically at the hyper gamer. It was possible Matt was delusional and didn't know what he was doing.

"Seriously." Matt nestled on the chocoholic's lap and brought out a RingPop. "See? I even bought us a ring!" He licked the candy diamond in the middle and handed it to Mello, looking quite pleased with himself. When Mello just stared, he eased the lollipop into the blond's mouth.

"Mhm." Mello blinked up at him, speaking through a mouthful of candy. "You're not really hyper, are you?" He asked knowingly, removing the lollipop.

Matt sighed, going limp. "You ruin my fun."

Mello laughed, taking another lick from the candy ring. "That's my job, mi'dear."

Matt sniffed. "Meanie."

"However, about that proposal..."

* * *

**Did everyone get what the last chapter was? You had to read it backwards, starting with the last sentence. Just wanted to clear it up in case some of you thought something was wrong with me. ^^**

**.A  
**


	48. Provocative

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXVIII. Provocative**

"Oh, _Mello!_" A loud moan emitted from Matt's mouth. "Mello, ah, right there! Yes, yes! Ahhh, Mel_lo. _Damn it, fuck, shit, ah!" Matt mewled, thrashing his head from side to side. "Don't stop, don't stop...ah! Harder, damn it...!" He squirmed wildly on their bed, panting hotly, cheeks flushed. "Mel..._ooh, _shit, I'm so close, so close..._MELLO--"_

"FINE, I'll go with you!" Mello burst in the bedroom, cheeks flushed also. "Goddamit, Matt, stop being so damn fuckin' provocative unless you want me to rape you! God!" He stormed out of their room to sulk in the kitchen. The door slammed behind him so hard the walls rattled.

Grinning to himself triumphantly, Matt sat up in the bed and straightened his shirt. After fixing his hair(or attempting to) he merrily made his way to the blond. "Thanks, Mel." He planted a kiss on the unhappy man's cheek.

"Hmph." Mello looked away. "I fuckin' hate you," he spat.

"Aw, come on!" Matt sat on his lip, wiggling his hips. "This year's Otakon is going to be fun, especially with you coming with me. Besides, I don't want to look like some anti-social dork."


	49. Paper Cup

**Looseleaf**

**XXXXIX. Paper Cup**

**  
**"Hey, Mel," Matt called from the kitchen. "What'cha doin'?"

"Trying to block out your damn annoying voice and reading," Mello answered none-too-happily.

"Great!" Matt exclaimed. "Come here!"

With a resigned sigh, Mello lifted himself to his feet and trudged to the kitchen. There, the redhead was on the brink of having a spasm, looking so delighted with himself. In front of him lay three upturned paper cups, each one decorated with flowers and butterflies. Mello would have smirked at this and laughed, but he wasn't really in a good mood right now.

"What. Do. You. Want?" he growled.

Matt beamed, putting on an old magician's hat. "Here, you see three overturned paper cups, am I correct?"

"I'm not fuckin' blind."

"That's good too know you're not fucking Blind. Jeez, that guy was so weird..." Matt involuntarily shuddered at the memory of the kid back at Wammy's. "Anyway, I have hidden something underneath one of the cups. It's your job to find it." He smiled again. "Pick one."

Mello didn't hesitate. "This one." He turned over the cup in the middle. There was nothing underneath it. He growled once more, turning over the other two. Empty.

"Matt, what the fu--" he started to cuss, but Matt cut him off.

"The mystery item was too big to hide under the cups." Matt held up the half-an-inch wide cup. "So I'll give it to you."

"Is it your penis?" Mello asked bluntly.

Matt blushed violently. "N-no!" He shook his head. "Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Mello sighed, though he did so anyway. He felt something cold sliding down his ring finger. He frowned. "Matt, you better not be licking me."

"You can open your eyes now." Matt's eyes shone with excitement as Mello looked down to inspect the gold band Matt had put on his finger. The redhead didn't have to ask the question.

"It looks weird." Mello wiggled his fingers.

Matt slumped. "So...proposal denied?" he asked meekly.

Mello turned to him. "I didn't say that." He kissed him softly on the lips. "Of course I'll marry you."


	50. Desperate Measures

**Looseleaf**

**L. Desperate Measures  
**

"So." Matt found this conversation very awkward. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his furry vest as he and Mello walked down the sidewalk, away from the old movie theater.

"So," Mello echoed.

"Was it worth seeing at midnight?" Matt glanced at the still-dark sky.

Mello didn't respond for a few seconds. "It was good, I guess. But, Matt, the actors were so shitty!"

Matt laughed. "Mel. Is that seriously all you can find wrong about that movie? That vampire fuckin' _sparkled._"

Mello huffed, walking ahead. "See ya at the apartment, shithead." He was obviously pissed about the money they spent on a movie they expected to turn out good. For goodness's sake, how could the director ruin a book like that?! Picking a girl who blinked too much and a guy who looked like a fuckin' ape...

Matt sighed, pausing. "Mello!" He called. "Mel, come back, I didn't mean it." He knew Mello liked the books and had offended the chocolate lover.

Mello didn't turn back, only speeding up slightly.

Matt frowned. He was _not _going to walk back by himself. He was going to get Mello to carry him. Period.

Only the blond wasn't turning back.

This called for desperate measures.

"Mello!" Matt screamed, tumbling into an alley. "Mello, help!" He kicked a trashcan and stomped around, making as much noise as possible.

No reply.

"_Someone's going to rape me!_" Matt shrieked.

In a matter of seconds, Mello was standing in the alley with him, gun drawn, looking downright murderous. He looked even more so when he realized he'd been tricked.

"Asshole," he muttered, starting to walk back.

Matt just smiled and latched onto his arm innocently. "That's why you love me, right?"


	51. Joke

**Looseleaf**

**LI. Joke  
**

Mello could tell with the way Matt was smiling and his metaphorical tail was wagging that he was about to tell a shitty joke.

"Hey, Mel," the redhead said excitedly.

"Hm?" Mello stirred the cauldron of boiling soup, inhaling the nice scent.

"Why did they call PMS 'PMS?' " Matt asked.

"No, Matt, I do _not _have that," Mello said snappishly.

Matt rolled his eyes. "Sure. Anyway, you know why?"

"No, Matt, I do not."

"Because Mad Cow Disease was already taken!" Then the gamer burst into hysterics at his own joke, doubling over in his seat.

Mello's eye twitched. He resisted the urge to dump the boiling pot of soup onto Matt.

_Be a good little housewife...Be a good little housewife...good...little...housewife..._


	52. Future

**Looseleaf**

**LII**. **Future**

"Face it, Matt," Mello said, smiling snootily. "I can see the future, and you're just jealous you can't."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Sure, Mello, sure."

"Really!" The blond persisted, leaning forward at his best friend. He put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. "You'll hurt your toe soon," Mello informed him, leaning back.

"How vague," Matt noted.

Mello settled himself on Matt's lap, wounding his hands into his wonderfully soft hair. "Y'know what else I saw, Matty?" he whispered.

Matt blushed at their closeness. "Um, n-no, Mello."

"Me confessing my undying love to you. Then, me proposing to you, and you saying yes." Mello smiled, his eyes twinkling with happiness.

Matt gulped. Mello had undying love for him? That was...creepy. It was a nice feeling to be loved, but _damn _was it unfamiliar. Then Matt had scrambled up and away to his room, tripping on various objects as he went.

"Ow, goddammit, my toe!" he howled as he banged into the wall.

Mello looked very satisfied with himself, leaning back on their couch luxuriously. "Told you so!"


	53. Leech

**Looseleaf**

**LII****I. Leech**

Mello seemed to be the most energetic thing when awake, which was basically all the time.

However, when he was asleep, he was like a brick. Not to mention he clung onto Matt like a leech.

The redhead softly groaned, opening an eye. His chest felt like it was being crushed. Looking down, he saw that Mello had made himself comfortable against Matt's chest, arms tightly coiled around Matt's waist and in a deep slumber.

"Mel--" Matt started to say, but figured he should let Mello sleep. After all, who knew when the blond would be less-stubborn enough to get some rest?

So Matt used his high-IQ brain to figure, _I'll just leave him on the couch, grab something to eat, then come back._

Right.

He should have figured sooner that that wouldn't work.

The moment his leg slid down the couch and onto the floor, Mello gripped him tighter. With a grimace, Matt did the same with his other leg. He tried to get up, but something called a Mello was holding him down. Literally.

"Goddamit... Why'd you have to be such a heavy sleeper?" Matt muttered to himself as he began to make his way to the kitchen. Still, Mello was latched around his waist.

A few minutes later, Matt had gone precisely nine inches from where he used to be. He was panting slightly, a light sheen of sweat covering his forehead. "Almost...there..." he murmured. One more big step should do it.

His left leg came out to make said big step. It had planted itself on the ground when Mello loosened his grip and slid down further onto Matt, still asleep. With a little yelp, Matt slid down also into a split-like position. Thankfully, he fell to the side, and he was left there with his cheek pressed hard against the floor, Mello making a purring noise and starting to cuddle with his leg.

"Damn it," the redhead swore, going limp. Mello would wake up soon, right?

Wrong.

Matt remembered he'd set the alarm clock to ring at ten a.m.. It was only seven in the morning.

This was going to be a _long _day.


	54. French

**Looseleaf**

**LIV. French**

Matt entered his and Mello's apartment with a flourish, glad to be home and away from his hell of a job. He spied the living room empty, but Mello's boots were there, so the blond was probably in their room asleep or working away.

Shrugging off his furry vest and tossing it carelessly aside, Matt pushed up his goggles to his head and ambled to their room, avoiding the spots where the floorboards creaked. He found the door slightly ajar, which was strange, since paranoid-Mello almost never left their doors opened.

So why was this one?

Curious, Matt peered through the small space and gaped at what he saw.

Mello was standing in front of a mirror, in the midst of what seemed like striking a pose. Instead of his leather attire, he was now wearing a French maid costume, the black and white lace dress hugging onto his frame, perfectly outlining curves that only Mello seemed to have. The dress was mainly black, with a mini white apron that overlapped it. It came down a little before his knees, the hem lined with fancy white lace. In addition, there was a large white ribbon on the blond's back. His slim legs were clothed in black fishnets, and then black, four-inch stiletto heels replaced his usual steel-tip boots.

Matt, on the verge of having a nosebleed, came crashing down into the door, sending the wood flying forward and the gamer fell flat on his face. He forced himself onto his knees, looking at Mello with a face as red as his hair. The chocolate-lover was smirking.

"M-Mello, wh-what are you--?" was all Matt managed to get out before Mello bent over to pick up something from the floor, giving the redhead a view of the white panties that came with the costume. Mello re-straightened himself, still smiling insultingly, and turned on his heels, strutting his way to Matt. His heels clicked sinfully against the wooden floor, making loud _click-clack-click-clack _sounds.

"Hey, Matty," Mello cooed, holding up the item teasingly.

Matt's eyes widened at the whip in his hands. "H-hi, Mello."

Mello pouted, leaning down a little to be at Matt's kneeled level. "Is that all you can say?" He traced a gloved hand on the redhead's cheek.

"Well," Matt began hoarsely, "I've got a hot blond dressed as a French maid in front of me. If you were put in such a situation, what would _you _say?"

Mello laughed. "I s'pose you're right," he said, before placing his lips on the gamer's.

Matt immediately responded, kissing back feverishly, hands coming up to pull Mello down to the floor. The blond nestled in Matt's lap, hands entangled in fiery red tresses as he deepened their kiss.

"Mmm, Matty," Mello breathed against his lips, pulling away for a split second before Matt yanked him back into another kiss. "Ahh...bed..."

He felt Matt shake his head before he was pushed down, Matt straddling his waist. "I want you right here, Mello..." Matt whispered, drinking in the sight of his lover splayed out before him lustfully. He began to work the dress off of Mello.

Nearly two hours later, Matt leaned back against the wall, still naked from their 'activities.' Mello was leaning on his shoulder beside him, also naked except for the black stilettos.

"Damn..." Mello murmured against bare skin.

"Yeah." Matt let out a breathy laugh. "That was fuckin' awesome."

"Don't forget, you're still my bitch, bitch."

"Yes, Mello."


	55. Shopping

**Looseleaf**

**LV. Shopping**

Matt's face was pressed up against the cool window of their car, his eyes boredly scanning the stores they passed by. Then, something caught his eye and he turned to Mello, who was driving. "Hey Mel, guess what stores we just passed?"

"What?" Mello asked.

"Home Depot, Staples, Pet Smart's, Dick's." Here Matt burst out laughing. "Get it? Home Depot staples Pet Smart's dicks!"

Mello gritted his teeth, glaring ahead. "How about Mello staples Matt's dick?"

Matt shut up for the rest of the drive.


	56. Brush

**Looseleaf**

**LVI. Brush**

"Hey, Matt, can I brush your hair?" came the whisper.

Matt shivered, Mello's voice too close for comfort. "Whatever," he murmured, and turned over on his back. He fell asleep.

It was a while later when he realized that his hair was being brushed by something that felt suspiciously like a toothbrush. "What the hell?" Matt woke up, bewildered. He looked at Mello, who was holding a toothbrush. "W-what's that for?" he asked weakly. Afraid of the results, he reached up, felt his hair, and brought the hand down to smell it.

Toothpaste.

"MELLO!" Matt yelled, streaking across the room to the bathroom. "Bad! Bad Mello! What the fuck did you do to my _hair_?!"

Mello blinked, innocent. He walked up to the door and knocked politely. "But you said I could brush your hair, Matty."


	57. Salad

**Looseleaf**

**LVII. Salad**

"No. No way in hell am I going to eat that," Matt said, squirming away from the plate of salad.

Mello glared. "_You _wanted to come here tonight, and _you _let me order, so eat the damn thing."

Matt shook his head. "Mello, Mello, I don't want to!" he whimpered, curling up against Mello in their booth pitifully. Mello sighed as they attracted unwanted stares. He looked down at his boyfriend, who looked back up at him fearfully.

"Please, Matty?" Mello asked softly, shooting Matt his puppy eyes.

Matt groaned, unable to resist those blue eyes, and sat up. "That's my thing, damn it," he muttered unhappily, picking up his fork. He exhaled loudly. "I will now eat this abomination."

Mello smiled. "Good."

It took Matt five full minutes to stab his fork through a fair amount of lettuce, then five more to slowly bring it up to his lips.

"I don't know about this, Mel," Matt said, turning to his rarely-patient lover. "What if I choke halfway?"

"I'll do CPR on you."

Matt sighed. No getting out of this one. Finally, he put the fork to his lips again, and delivered the lettuce inside, chewing. His eyes were squeezed shut, as if waiting for something to implode in his mouth.

"Good dog," Mello whispered in his ear. "Do you want your reward?" He smiled against Matt's neck, slowly trailing down. His hands ghosted underneath his striped shirt, feeling the toned muscle under his fingers.

Then Matt puked.


	58. Tied

**Looseleaf**

**LVIII. Tied**

"Matt, don't you fucking dare," Mello growled, pulling at his restraints. Matt only watched him sadistically, inspecting the chocolate bar at hand.

"But, Mello, we can always get another one," Matt said with fake sincerenity.

If Mello's hands we free, he'd have slammed a table. "Bullshit! You know damn well the stores are close today because of Fourth of July! And that's my last chocolate bar!"

Matt shrugged, opening the foil wrapper. Mello's eyes followed his every movement. Matt smiled in satisfaction. "Can't I have just a little bite?"

"No!"

"Please, Melly?"

"Matt, puppy eyes will _not _work on me this time."

Matt sighed. "So selfish," he murmured. Then, "Fine. I'll give you your damn chocolate bar." He smiled slyly. "If you can reach it."

"What the hell are you--" Mello started to say, but froze when he saw Matt place the chocolate bar in the middle of the blond's torso, well out of reach. "I will kill you, Mail Jeevas!" Mello howled, wiggling around, trying to get to his addiction.

"Jeez, take a chill pill," Matt said, bringing out a cigarette and lighting it. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to play on my laptop now." And he left the room, ignoring Mello's various death threats.

* * *

**Mello was tied down to a bed in eagle-position, for those who want to know. .**


	59. Trash

**Looseleaf**

**LIX. Trash**

"Remind me why the hell I agreed to doing that," Mello yelled, looking down at himself.

Matt smiled cheekily. "Aw, come on. Dumpster diving isn't that bad."

"Whatever. I'm taking a _long _shower." Mello stompd off to their bathroom.

"Hey, Mels!" Matt called after him.

"What?" Mello growled.

Matt giggled. "You've got a banana peel on your head."


	60. Celebration

**Looseleaf**

**LX. Celebration**

On a particular December 14th, Mello came home to an apartment smelling of chocolate and a Matt who brought out a big chocolate cake. "I made it myself," the redhead beamed proudly, setting the cake down on their coffee table. The cheap piece of furniture shook for a while, as if it would break under the cake's weight.

Mello blinked. "Is...there something special today?"

Matt nodded. "Yep!" He began to cut the cake into slices. When he was finished, he set the knife down and went to retrieve paper plates.

"Welll, aren't you gonna tell me what?" Mello barked after him.

"Jeez, Mello, you're so rude--Ah, there it is!" Matt came back with two small paper plates and handed one to Mello, eyes glittering behind goggles. Mello recieved his uncertainly.

"Are you sure you're not high?" the blond asked cautiously.

"Nope, I'm just celebrating our Fake-Death-Day, is all," Matt said dismissively, setting a slice on Mello's plate. He handed Mello a plastic fork.

The chocoholic only stared at him, apalled.

Matt giggled. "I'm just kidding, Melly. I'm really celeberating your birthday, which you may not have noticed was yesterday."

Mello made a face. "You should've just said... Why didn't you do this yesterday, then?"

Matt looked sheepish. "Well, you were gone almost the whole day and, um, I kinda forgot."


	61. ILY

**Looseleaf**

**LXI. ILY**

**(Matt is _italics, _Mello is bold)  
**

Mello felt the phone vibrate in his jacket pocket, and he pulled it out ot find that Matt had texted him.

_Can u get mor cigs?_

Mello scowled at the text-speak. He replied with, **Yeah, you reminded me about ten times before I left for groceries.**

A few minutes later, Matt had replied, _just makin sure._

**Would you please improve your spelling?**

_erm i dont think so. jeez mel ur so freakin uptight._

**At least I don't sound like an idiot**

_whatev. remember the cigs! see u home soon!_

**Whatever.**

_ily!_

Mello froze, staring blankly at the tiny phone screen. He despised using text-speak, but he did know what a few of the abbreviations meant, and 'ily' was one of them.

ILY -- I Love You

**Ummmmm, Matt, what the fuck did you say?**

Mello tapped his foot impatiently, nervous to hear the reply. What if...Matt really meant it? How was he supposed to react?

_ily, _was Matt's reply. Mello waited for further explanation. A few more seconds, and another message came. _ily, meaning I Like Yam. dur  
_

Mello face-palmed.


	62. Heart

**Looseleaf**

**LXII. Heart**

Mello stole Matt's heart at the tender age of six. All it took was that pretty face smirking down at him, head raised up in defiance, and he was hooked.

It was a strange relationship those two had. Mello would never be seen without a Matt nipping at his heels, obediently following him around even though the blond had never asked him to do so. And while Matt seemed very submissive, the gamer had an inner stubbornness in him that was brought out whenever Mello refused to rest after too much studying. Mello always treated Matt like he was useless, abused him verbally and the occasional punches. And what puzzled Wammy's children was the fact that Matt was always back the next morning, that smile on his face, back for more.

The redhead didn't seem to mind be tossed around like a ragdoll. In truth, he enjoyed Mello's presence and took pride in knowing that only he could be graced with the blond's being. After all, Mello scared away most of the children, or, if they refused to get away from him, beat them up and sent them to the infirmary. Matt was never a victim to Mello's harsh blows with the exception of two times.

The first was the time the duo met. Not knowing of a certain chocolate-obsessed blond coincidentally craving the same brownie he'd just eaten, Matt was sent to the floor with an angry red slap mark on his cheek. Then, "How _dare _you eat my brownie!" Mello had yelled, sounding remotely like a girl.

The second was the time Matt mentioned Near being better than Mello. He managed to get out, "Well, looks like Near's ranked first aga--" before his nose started to bleed a split second after a fist crashed into his face.

Matt was used to Mello guiding him, giving him orders. So the redhead felt lost when Mello suddenly ran away from Wammy's.

He cried for no weeks' end. At some point he finally calmed down and sucked it up, convincing himself Mello wasn't that important anyway. But his chest was hollow from where his heart used to be; as corny as it sounded, Mello had taken his heart with him when he left. Matt left about three months after Mello's own departure. The fourteen-year-old boy was forced to become an adult as soon as he stepped through the gates of Wammy's.

It felt like eternity until Matt finally found his other half again. Mello was unconcious and laying a few feet away from a burning building when Matt drove by. The redhead screeched to a stop in the middle of the road--it was deserted, anyway-- hauled Mello into the backseat, and drove to his apartment where he fixed up the blond.

Their routine picked up from where it left at Wammy's. Mello bossed Matt around, and Matt answered his every beck-and-call without a complaint. Their relationship was almost unhealthy on Matt's part, what with Mello constantly bringing home worthless sluts from random bars, and forcing Matt to listen to every moan and scream as the younger desperately tried to gain some sleep on their worn out couch.

He was hurt, yes. Emotionally wounded, scarred. Though it only took that beautiful--marred, but beautiful nonetheless to Matt-- face looking him in the eye as the golden-haired man asked him to aid him in kidnapping Takada. Matt said yes.

After all, Mello had stolen Matt's heart. Not that Matt minded, he was just hoping the puppy-love, the one-sided relationship would turn into something more, that Mello would finally reciprocate his feelings.

Mello stole Matt's heart. And by the looks of it, the blond had no intentions of giving it back.


	63. Looseleaf

**Looseleaf**

**LXIII. Looseleaf**

"You know what's a weird word?" Matt said to Mello one day. He was spread out on the floor, mindlessly staring at the ceiling above.

"Quibble," Mello replied.

"Yeah, that," Matt agreed. "And looseleaf. I know it's a piece of loose paper, but _looseleaf? _It makes it sound like the paper's a leaf or something."

Mello shrugged, taking another bite of his chocolate bar. "You know what's another weird word?"

"What?"

"Mail."

"Well, yeah, I guess--Hey!" Matt sat up, pouting. "Mihael isn't the most common name, either."

Mello licked the corner of his chocolate bar, grinning. "Really, I think my parents just mispelled my name. In the beginning, they had the intentions of naming me Michael, but they forgot to put the C in."

Matt made a face. "I hope that's not true. Michael makes you sound like a priest."

"There was," Mello began earnestly, "a time when I did want to be a priest." As an afterthought, he added, "Laugh and I shoot you."

Matt swallowed back a giggle, crawling over to the couch and nuzzling Mello's leg. The blond in return pulled him up on the couch with him, muttering, "Face is up here, idiot." Matt smiled, peppering Mello's cheeks with kisses.

"Hey, Mel," he said.

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"Mhmm. Love you, too."

* * *

**IdontownDeathNotepleaseplasepleasepleasedontkillmebecauseIdidntdoanythingallIdoownismyjaroffrostinganddefinitelynotthatshotgunbythecorneroverthere...**

**Sorry, it just occurred to me I never put up a disclaimer before. Lol, don't kill me. xD**

**.A/F  
**


	64. Mendhi

**Looseleaf**

**LXIV. Mendhi**

"Mello, _must _I take leave this blindfold on?" Matt complained, wriggling around.

"Stop it, Matt!" Mello scolded immediately, stilling his hand. "If you keep moving, you'll screw up the Mendhi, idiot."

Matt pouted, going limp in his chair. "Damn you. You and the Internet."

Mello smiled innocently, though Matt couldn't see it. "It's not my fault Mendhi looked interesting. Now hold still, moron."

"The least you can do was let me pick the design!" Matt continued to rant. "Now who knows what you drew on my arm? It could be a fuckin' Easter bunny or a big flower. God, Mels."

Mello only ignored him, until a few minutes later, when he announced, "Finished." He leaned over the table to take off Matt's blindfold. "Now, Matty, I have some instructions for you," he said. "Leave the black stuff on for a while. According to , the longer it stays, the darker it will be."

Matt nodded obediently. "Yes, Mello."

"Good." Mello leaned back in his seat.

"Well..." Matt said a few seconds later. "Can I go now?"

"Nope."

"What!"

"I need to make sure you don't start scratching the black stuff off."

"Bastard."

"I know."

"...Meeeeeelloooooo, I'm itchy!"

"Then scratch, idiot."

"No, I'm itchy on my arm! Where the Mendhi is!"

"Never mind, then."

"Mello!"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Can I scratch it off now?"

"No."

"Fine." Matt was able to wait a good fifteen more minutes, stifling the urge to scratch. But soon it came back full-force and Matt groaned, banging his head on the desk. "Please, Melly?" he whimpered. "It really itches, y'know?" He slid his head up to look at Mello with big, pleading eyes.

Mello rolled his own. "Fine, you whining bitch. Scratch."

Matt perked up, chirped, "Thank you!" and began to scratch at his arm. Some time later, the last of the flaky black paste floated down the floor. Matt was now able to read what Mello had put on his arm. It said, 'MELLO'S BITCH.'

"MELLO!" Matt shrieked.


	65. Temptation

**Looseleaf**

**LXV. Temptation**

Mello was quite surprised to see, one day, that Matt wasn't on his usual seat on the couch playing video games. In fact, the redhead wasn't playing video games at all, instead rummaging around the kitchen for breakfast.

"Hey," Mello said.

Matt jumped, turning around and giving Mello the deer-in-the-headlights expression with a lollipop in his mouth. He slid the candy out and replied, "Hey, Mel."

"Why aren't you playing your games?" Mello asked curiously.

"Well, last night, I was doing some thinking, and I wondered what it would be liked if I didn't play video games for a whole day." Matt beamed. "Aren't you proud of me?"

"You're stupid."

"Huh? You're mean!"

"No, idiot. You're dumb because look what I got you yesterday." Mello held up a copy of Super Mario Galaxy 2. He shook it from side ot side tantalizingly.

Matt's mouth went agape and he stared at the item with goo-goo eyes. Then he caught himself and shook his head, straightening. "I guess that'll have to wait tomorrow," he said through clenched teeth. Mello was trying to beat him at his own game, and damn it if Matt wasn't going to fight back.

Rigidly, Matt got out some cereal and milk(surprisingly, it wasn't expired).

"Matty, are you sure?" Mello said innocently, leaning across the table, smirking. He slid the game towards Matt. "Really, go play, I insist."

Matt turned away defiantly. "I think I'll pass."

"C'mon, I'll even play with you," Mello chastised, slinking up behind Matt.

"I..." said Matt uncertainly. His instincts were telling him to say yes, because Mello seldom played his games with him. And even though Mello hated games, he was fairly good at it and actually posed a challenge to Matt. So, why not? "Okay," the gamer sighed. And he inwardly mourned for losing their little game.

"Great!" Mello stuffed the game into his hands and watched Matt set it up with a grimace. Once everything was set, Matt turned to Mello to hand him a Wii-mote.

Mello shook his head.

"Aren't you playing?" Matt asked.

"Nope." Mello smiled. "I'm going to go eat breakfast now." He patted Matt's head and deposited a kiss on his cheek before sashaying back to the kitchen.

Matt sniffled, pouting. "You ruin my dreams."


	66. Comment

**Looseleaf**

**LXVI. Comment**

Matt was gaming away on his laptop.

Mello was feeling neglected.

"Matty, can't we do something?" the blond complained, wriggling around on their bed.

Matt took a few seconds to turn the laptop off, getting up to walk to Mello. "Something?" he said suggestively.

Mello reddened, scooting away from the offending redhead. "Not in _that _way, idiot!"

"The other way around, then?" Matt only backed Mello up to the headboard, grinning widely.

"Damn it, stop turning my sentences into dirty comments," Mello huffed.

"Mmm...but you like it." Matt smiled innocently, nuzzling his cheek.

"God, Matt, stop or I'll kick your ass!" Mello tried in vain to escape his grip.

"I think I'd like that." Matt winked.

"Argh, fuck you!"

"I'd like that, too."


	67. Right or Wrong

**Looseleaf**

**LXVII. Right or Wrong**

Matt took a deep breath, stepping forward into the living room. Mello merely glanced up from his book.

"Mel, I have to ask you something," Matt said seriously, coming to sit beside the blond.

A little confused, Mello put down his book and asked, "What? If you're wondering what kind of chocolate to get me, I'd like milk chocolate."

"N-no, not that... Okay..." Another deep breath. Then he began to let out a stream of jumbled words, speaking a thousand miles per hour.

"Matt!" Mello interrupted. "Speak. Slowly."

Matt squeaked, repressing the urge to curl up in a hole and die. "Well," he began calmly, "I was wondering whether or not you considered homosexuality right or wrong, what with you being religious and all."

"W-what?" Mello was staring at him with wide eyes.

Matt hurriedly added, "And I know that it's against the will of God, or whatever, and I also know that God made love, so I was thinking why it would be wrong if two females-" he coughed "or two males fell in love. I mean, it's pure love, right? There can't be anything wrong with that."

"What are you saying?" Mello said softly.

"Uh, um, I was, uh, you see... Uh... I'm gay, okay!" Matt finally yelled, and curled up beside the armrest, a pillow shielding his face.

Mello smiled, amused. He leaned down to stroke Matt's arm.

"Please don't run away from me," came a squeak from the redhead.

This time Mello full-out laughed, pulling Matt into his lap and brushing the pillow away. "I won't run away from you," he promised.

Matt sniffed, looking up with big, blue, teary eyes. "R-really?" He resembled a kid getting a puppy for Christmas and not believing it was meant for him.

Mello nodded. "Sure. And that wouldn't make sense otherwise."

"H-huh?"

"I like you, too."

A blush invaded Matt's cheeks and he scrambled to sit up. "I-I ne-never said t-that!" he protested, trying to get up. Mello just held him back down easily.

"It's not that hard to tell, y'know," Mello said pointedly.

Matt whimpered pitifully in return.

"So, you actually don't like me?" Mello asked a while later, voice suddenly a dead tone.

"No! I do, I really like you!" Matt said quickly. "I mean, how could I not? You're awesome and you're great and..." he trailed off lamely, then tried a smile. "I like you?" He put out his arms, an invitation for a hug.

Mello accepted, loving the feeling of having Matt in his arms. "Great." He planted a kiss on his lips. "Now go get me chocolate."

* * *

**If I offended anyone with the religious theme in the beginning, I didn't mean to. :)**

**.A  
**


	68. Blanket

**Looseleaf**

**LXVIII. Blanket**

Matt held up a Death Note blanket, gaping. "Whoa, Mels, look!" he exclaimed, seeing the design.

Mello gawked at it over the redhead's shoulder. "Is that..._Light_? With _L_?" The mafia boss couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Y-yeah." Matt then smiled deviously. "Let's buy it," he suggested, gesturing towards the cashier. "And when we get home, we can draw mustaches on Kira's face."

"And then I can screw you on it," Mello quipped. He sounded rather enthusiastic.

Matt only sighed and prepared himself for a sore ass in the morning.


	69. Explode

**Looseleaf**

**LXIX. Explode**

It was morning. More importantly, it was morning with a certain Mello about to wake up from bed.

And Matt was scurrying around, trying to find chocolate-_any _type of chocolate. For all he cared, it could be a minisized chocolate bar. As long as it would keep Mello satiated for the next hour or so.

The redhead had woken up about ten minutes ago to realize they were out of chocolate. Remembering how Mello reacted to their chocolate-less surroundings last time, Matt surely didn't want history to repeat itself.

"Come on, come on, there's gotta be one here somewhere," the gamer murmured, leaning over to rummage through another cabinet. "Damn it!" he cursed, standing up and beginning to check the cupboards.

"M-Matt...?" came a sleepy call from the bedroom.

Matt nearly jumped out of his skin, his search become more fervor. He desperately checked their refrigerator one more time, in case he missed a bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup.

There was none.

"Matt, what's with the noise?" Mello had now trudged sleepily into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes like a little kid.

Knowing he wasn't prepared for a chocolate-deprived Mello, Matt dove behind their kitchen counter and curled up into a ball. The sound of Mello scuffling around to look for chocolate was like a time bomb in Matt's ears. Any second now, Mello would explode and, with no doubt, take it out on Matt.

"There's no chocolate."

Matt stifled a scream at the sound of the voice, ending up banging his head on the overhanging counter. He peeked with one eye at the mafia boss kneeling in front of him.

"Matt," Mello was saying. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Purple frogs eat shampoo?" Matt whimpered.

"You pious moron, what are you doing?" Mello repeated. A following _crack _made Matt open both of his eyes.

"Y-you have chocolate," he said disbelievingly.

Mello nodded. "Yeah. I put some on the bedside table last night and forgot to finish it." _Crack. _"Go out and buy me some more."

Matt slowly unglued himself from the wall. "Right," he said softly.

"What?" Mello joked. "Were you afraid I'd murder you with an axe if I didn't get my chocolate?"

"Yeah," Matt replied solemnly.

Mello blinked. "God, Matt." He shook his head, blond hair flying. "Come on, now, the chocolate isn't going to buy itself. And don't worry, I don't even _own _an axe."

Matt gave him a look that said, _I would believe it if you did._

Mello rolled his eyes and pushed the redhead towards the front door. "Out." Once Matt was well on his way to the store, Mello bit his lip, eyeing the supply closet where he'd put that axe he bought a month ago. _Note to self, _he thought guiltily, _get a refund.  
_


	70. Thick

**Looseleaf**

**LXX. Thick**

"But, _Mello_!"

"Quit your whining and do as you're told."

"It's too thick!"

"Your point?"

"Its diameter multiplied by pi and multiplied by its length will add up to a volume my mouth cannot fathom."

"_Matt. _Just take the damn thing and shove it in your mouth."

"What if I choke?"

"Hmph. And it doesn't even hold liquid, either."

"...Really?"

"Well, duh! Does it _look _like it could?"

"Yeah."

"Matt! Stop stalling and get on with it already. Ugh, don't poke it!"

"But it's...squishy."

"Matt, I swear to god if-"

"Fine, fine, you bastard...Mmm, thish tashtes goohd!"

"M-Matt! Don't talk while you do that, it looks weird."

"Mmm...Yum. Wanna try it, Mels?" Matt gave a suggestive wink, bringing the burrito to Mello's face.

Mello squealed and shot the offending object.

"Mello-" Matt began, lowering his now-empty hand.

"I know, I know," Mello grumbled. "Do not shoot inanimate objects." He sighed. "I'm going to take a bubble bath now."


	71. Playing

**Looseleaf**

**LXXI. Playing**

"No, Mello, I do _not _have your chocolate!" Matt's wailing echoed through their empty apartment.

In the kitchen, Mello popped out from behind the counter. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the door to their bedroom.

"Mello, stop it! That tickles!" Now Matt was laughing.

What was he _doing_?

Worried, Mello walked to the door, knocking loudly. "Matt? Are you okay?" he called.

"M-Mello, that ti-OW! BAD MELLO! NO BITING!"

"Matt!" Mello said in a warning voice.

"Owie, look, you gave me a bruise," The pout could be heard in Matt's voice.

Finally, Mello twisted the doorknob and swung the door open. Matt was on their bed, repeatedly flicking the head of a doll. "Bad Mello," the redhead kept chanting as the head of a blond-haired doll snapped back. "Bad Mello, bad Mello, bad Mel-" Matt finally froze upon seeing the real Mello in the doorway. At the same time, his fingers flicked the head one last time, sending the poor doll part flying across the room. Matt let out a squeak.

Mello took a deep breath. "Matt," he said slowly, "what are you doing?"

"Playing with dolly-Mello." Matt held up the headless doll that wore a leather vest and leather pants. He smiled innocently, blue eyes flashing. "Wanna play?"


	72. Parking Lot

**Looseleaf**

**LXXII. Parking Lot**

"So, Mello," Matt began conversationally, "do you like bananas or oranges?"

"I prefer oranges," Mello replied.

"Do you know what a papaya is?" Matt asked.

"Yes."

"What is your opinion on Madonna?"

"Who?"

"Did you know that her Jump music video has her singing and dancing around in a leather outfit scarily akin to the one you're currently wearing now?"

"Hm," Mello said thoughtfully, trying to remember where he last put the Death Note. "What was her name again?"

"Do you like Barney?" Matt wondered.

"How is this relevant?" Mello said, irritated.

"Would you prefer me with chocolate or strawberries?" Matt continued.

"Choco- Hey! I asked you a question!"

"...Sorry."

Silence.

"Why are we in a parking lot and not on our way home?" Mello said resignedly. "Did we run out of gas or something?"

"Hehe, no," Matt said sheepishly, smiling and turning on the engine. He backed out of the parking lot and began to drive.

"Idiot," Mello muttered.

* * *

**I love it when Matt babbles.**


	73. Zombie

**Looseleaf**

**LXXIII. Zombie**

Matt was neglecting him. Again.

"Nnngg...Maaaatt..." The name was drawn out in a tired, groggy voice. Mello appeared in the doorway, looking, admittedly, like a zombie.

Matt, as he had just watched Zombieland the previous night, screamed and grabbed his gun, pointing it at Mello.

Mello froze, eyes adjusting. "M-Matt?" he said in a scared voice.

Realizing that it was just his boyfriend, Matt lowered the gun. "Sorry," he said. "I'm on edge right now."

Mello's lower lip trembled. "Y-you really would have shot me?" Tears shone in his eyes.

"What!" Matt exclaimed. "No, of course not, Mel!" He jumped up and hugged Mello. "Here, I'll prove it." He lifted his chin and placed a chaste kiss to Mello's lips.

"Are you lying?" Mello's voice quivered.

Wondering what kind of insecurities were getting to the blond this time, Matt said, "No, I'm not. Come on, let's eat ice cream together. Okay?"

As Matt led him to the kitchen, Mello allowed himself to grin triumphantly.


	74. Impatient

**Looseleaf**

**LXXIV. Impatient**

"J-just put it in already!"

"Hold on, Matt. If I don't do this right, you'll start bleeding or some shit like that."

"I don't care! I might as well get it over with-Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Stop, take it out, it huuuuuuuurts!"

"Che. You said to put it in already."

"S-so, it's in?"

"Mhm."

"Well, that wasn't so-Holy _**SHIT!**_"

"Heh, kidding. _Now_ it's in."


	75. Ungrammatical

**Looseleaf**

**LXXV. Ungrammatical**

"Hm," Matt said thoughtfully as he compared his and Mello's schedules. They absolutely had no classes together. "There is a weirdness in our schedule."

Mello snorted. "What in our schedule?"

"A weirdness," Matt repeated. "There is a weirdness in our schedule."

Mello burst out laughing, swiping his paper from Matt's hand. "There's no weirdness in our schedule," the blond said, waving the paper in his friend's face. "And you're being ungrammatical."

Matt shrugged. "We have no classes together. To me, that is a weirdness in our-"

"Okay!" Mello interrupted. "I get it." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hm..."

Roger walked down the hall, looking miserable as usual. He glared at three orphans that ran by, making them squeak in fear and run faster.

Oh, how he loathed these little buggers.

"Roooooger," someone whispered.

Roger stopped mid-step. He squinted at a boy a few feet away from him. "Mello?" He blinked in confusion at the knife in the boy's hand.

"You separated me and Matty on purpose," Mello murmured, stepping forward. "For that, you'll pay..."

The next morning, Matt recieved his new schedule from Mello, who was sucking loudly on a lollipop.

"Cool!" Matt exclaimed as he read the papers. "We have every class together now!"

Mello only smiled eerily. "Yep," he said mindlessly, twirling the lollipop in his hand.

Matt suddenly became aware of the way Mello was acting weirdly. "Mello," the redhead began casually, "what exactly happened that made Roger change our schedules?"

"I dunno." Mello shrugged, smile still playing on his lips.

"Mello..." Matt said slowly.

"Oh, shut up!" Mello finally cracked. "It was a plastic knife, for god's sake!"


	76. Plastic

**Looseleaf**

**LXXVI. Plastic**

"No, Matt! For the last time, I'm not going to say yes unless you get a new ring! For god's sake, that ring could have _diseases _on it! Do you want me to die?"

"But Mello," Matt said, pouting, "I only found it in a parking lot."

"When you were _three! _Which makes that RingPop thirteen years old!"

"Aw, come on. Will you say yes if I buy you a lollipop to go with it?"

"Hell no!"

"Why are you getting so worked up? We can get a new one when he grow old together and have more money."

"You can hack for more money, and yet you chose to propose with that damn disease-riddled RingPop," Mello growled, stomping to their bedroom. He slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Matt sighed, tossing the RingPop into the trash. "Well, that's not how a proposal's supposed to go," he mumbled to himself. Then, he shook his head and smiled, opening the pantry and digging around until he found what he was looking for. Hiding it in his fist, he managed to walk in their bedroom without being stabbed to death by his boyfriend.

"Mello?" he asked tentatively, staring at the blond's back.

"No," Mello snapped.

"You are really demanding, you know that?" Matt mused, coming to sit beside him on their bed.

"Damn right," Mello huffed.

"I'll try this again." Matt knelt down in front of the mafia boss, taking out a purple velvet box.

"Putting the damn RingPop in a fancy box will not affect my answer whatsoever," Mello said moodily.

Matt opened it, revealing a gold ring with a row of diamonds in the center. "Mihael Keehl, will you marry me?"

Mello stared. And stared, and stared, and stared. "Oh, my god," he muttered.

"Better than a RingPop, yeah?" Matt grinned up at him. "So, is that a yes or-" he managed to get out, until Mello dove forward and kissed his breath away.

* * *

**Based on how Deadly Nightshade1395's brother proposed to his girlfriend, except some of the details were changed. I had their permission to turn this into an MxM short. :)**


	77. Star

**Looseleaf**

**LXXVII. Star**

"When I die," a thirteen-year-old Mello said, staring wistfully up at the night sky, "I'm going to become the brightest star in the sky!"

Matt paused his game, looking up worriedly. "But Mello, you'd burn up!" he exclaimed. "Besides, there's no chocolate in the sky."

Mello shrugged, smiling. "I'll just have to be next to the big dipper, then. I would pour chocolate in and freeze it. Problem solved."

"What about me?" Matt asked, staring up also. "Can I come with you?"

Mello giggled. "Of course, Matty. You'll be the little star next to me."

Matt frowned. "Do I _have _to be a little star?"

"You can be a shooting star, then," Mello said. "But you have to promise to visit me a lot."

"And everytime I go by, you can make a wish!" Matt said, grinning now. "And I'd grant it."

Mello ruffled his hair. "You'd do that, Matty?"

Matt nodded loyally. "Yep!" He said truthfully, scooting over to rest his head on Mello's shoulder. "What would you wish for, Mel?" he asked sometime later. "You can wish for absolutely anything you want."

Mello smiled, hugging his boyfriend. "I don't need to wish for anything."

Surprised, Matt said, "Nothing?" He was quite shocked Mello wouldn't want to wish that he could beat Near.

"Nope." He pressed a kiss to Matt's cheek. "I've got all I want right here."

* * *

**Thank you for helping me reach 300 reviews! *virtual frosting* And I'd give you a hug, too, but I'd be hugging my monitor screen and my sister could walk in and that would be weird... XD**


	78. Buttons

**Looseleaf**

**LXXVIII. Buttons**

Mello seldom came home to the sight of Matt doing anything other than playing video games or sleeping like a brick. He certainly didn't expect to come home one early morning to the sight of Matt curled up on the couch, face buried in the crook of a striped-clad elbow.

"Matt?" he said questioningly as he hung his leather jacket. Still, the gamer did not respond. "Yo, Matt." Mello walked over, took off a glove, and used his bare fingers to poke the redhead on the shoulder. When there was no reply again, he decided to oh-so-nicely flick Matt's head.

"Ow!" The reaction was immediate, Matt hissing in pain and looking up. "What do you want, Mello?" he said, irritated.

Mello raised an eyebrow. "Look who woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Just leave me alone."

Shrugging, Mello proceeded to grab some chocolate from the pantry and returned to the living room, sitting down beside his boyfriend. He stared at the other, propping his feet up their coffee table.

There was no activity for about ten minutes. Finally, Mello reached over and tugged on Matt's sleeve. Matt made a noise and tried to scoot farther into the couch.

"Matt!" Mello growled, grasping red tresses and yanking. He wasn't known for his patience, anyway.

"What, Mello?" Matt yelled, toppling over and ending up with his head on Mello's lap. He glared indignantly at the older man.

"I just want to know what's got your panties in a twist," Mello said calmly, trying not to smile.

Matt furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't push my buttons, today, Mello," he warned, moving as if to sit up.

Mello held him back down. "Don't push your what?" he laughed.

"Don't push my buttons!" Matt replied, a little embarassed.

Mello chuckled. "Oh, Mail." He shook his head. "Now, tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't want to."

"Matt, come on."

"No!"

A pause. Matt groaned and covered his face with his hands. "I broke my goggles, okay?" he said grumpily.

"You did?" Mello said, confused. "How?"

"Don't laugh, okay?"

"Okay."

"I...sat on them."

Mello blinked. "No, seriously."

"Seriously. I sat on them," Matt said, peeking from behind his fingers.

It took three seconds for Mello to burst out in hysterics, crying out, "And you accuse _me _of being a fatass with all the chocolate I eat!"

"Shut up, you promised you wouldn't laugh!" Matt said, hitting Mello on the chest. He jumped up from the couch and retreated into their bedroom, ignoring Mello for the remainder of the day.

The next morning, Matt found a new pair of goggles sitting on the kitchen counter.


	79. Dance

**Looseleaf**

**LXXIX. Dance  
**

_'Cause you had turn, and now you're gonna learn what it really feels like to miss me._

Matt came home to the sight of Mello in a black leotard, tight black pants, and dancing to _Single Ladies _in their living room. Amused, Matt leaned against the doorway and watched the chocoholic press his forearms together, opening and closing them twice.

_'Cause if you like it then you should have put a ring on it._

Mello pointed to his ring finger, popped his hip to the right and tossed his head the same direction. As the lyric repeated, he pointed to his finger again, hips swaying sinfully to the music.

_Don't be mad once you see that he want it._

Mello suddenly turned to face Matt, smirking deviously as he planted his foot forward. He raised it to his toes, hip rising and falling in beat. He joined his hands together, 'combing through his hair.'

What broke all straws was, when the last three words of the line were sung, he slapped that ass three times.

Matt nearly had a nosebleed.

Mello was now grinning, sauntering over to his lover. "Hey, baby," he purred.

Matt wasted no time in pulling Mello to the bedroom.

* * *

**Just a little tribute to the main reason I watch TV. Frosting for those who know. ;)**


	80. Never

**Looseleaf**

**LXXX. Never**

_Dear Matt,_

_I never told you how much I love you. _

_Forgive me._

_-M_

Mello folded the piece of paper in half and set it down on the bed. Outside, Matt honked his horn as a signal that they were short on time.

There was a quiet click as Mello shut the door to the room, walking out to the driveway to join his accomplice on the last day of his life.


	81. Cute

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXI. Cute**

Mello stared at his own reflection, a valid eye taking in the bandages that covered half of his face and some of his chest. Behind his reflection, the door was wide open, revealing Matt dancing and singing to some random song on the radio. The gamer was shirtless and wearing jeans, barefooted, red hair flying wildly as his he threw his head from side to side, goggles lying around his neck.

Cracking a smile, Mello pictured Matt in the same state as he was. _Wearing only boxers, bandages heavily wrapped around his waist and also half-covering his face. A single blue eye staring up at him wide-eyed, much like an injured child..._

Mello stared off into space, unaware that Matt was now in the room, staring curiously at the blond.

"Hey, Mello?" Matt asked, walking up to the man and wrapping his arms loosely around his waist, careful not to touch the bandages.

"Fuckin' cute..." Mello mumbled absent-mindedly, still stuck in a universe where Matt was the injured one and looking so vulnerable. _Someone could take advantage of him so easily... _I _could take advantage of him easily. I won't though, because I lo-_

"Mello," Matt repeated, leaning against Mello's good shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Mello blinked a few times, eyes focusing on Matt's face in the mirror. "What?"

"What's cute?" Matt asked innocently.

"Puppies," Mello said bluntly.

Matt perked up. "Oh, yeah! They're so awesome. They're small, loyal, and so adorable. Not to mention they'll do practically anything you say. I love them!" Giggling childishly, he hugged Mello tighter.

As Mello leaned into his arms, he thought, _You have no idea._


	82. Tranquil

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXII_._ Tranquil**

"He beat me again!" Mello bellowed, sending a random book flying to the wall. The force of the impact left a dent in the plaster as the book fell to the ground with a thump.

Matt, scared of his best friend for the first time, cowered on his bed. "M-Mello, calm down!" he shouted, but knew it was futile. Mello had destroyed one half of the room, and was working on the other half. And if Matt didn't calm him down soon, his video games would be reduced to rubble. Mello was never afraid to break any of Matt's things, because the chocoholic always replaced them by the end of the week.

Matt crawled forward on his knees behind Mello, reaching out to save at least one of his games.

"Matt!" Mello instantly whirled on him the moment his fingertips touched his DS. "Why aren't you listening? You're supposed to be my best friend!"

"I am, I am!" Matt screamed as Mello hauled him up by the front of his shirt. "Put me down, Mello, I'm sorry!"

"You little-" Mello began angrily, then froze. His features relaxed, and a dopey smile took over his face. "I feel sleepy," he said idly, and crumpled to the floor.

Matt massaged his neck gingerly, looking down at his friend uncertainly. He'd done it. Matt had tranquilized Mello. His dad had been a hunter, and before Matt ran away from home, he'd grabbed a whole case of the darts as weapons. He kept one with him at all times in case he was ever in trouble, and he kept one in case Mello's fits got too out of hand. Of course, he had never actually _used _it, but now...

"Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry, Mello!" Matt quickly got down to his knees, trying to pick Mello up. The blond's head lolled back and he was snoring softly. Matt placed him on his bed, swiftly plucking out the dart from Mello's shoulder.

Matt sat, quietly whimpering in a chair beside the bed. He kept glancing worriedly at Mello's unconscious form. He hoped Mello wouldn't hurt him too bad when he woke up...

-a few minutes later-

"**MATT!**"

"Wha-? Oh, haha, you woke up, Mels..."

"Don't 'Mels' me, Jeevas."

"Good morning!"

"...What? Never mind, don't answer that. What happened?"

"I...kinda tranquilized you...sorry..."

"...You **WHAT**?"

"I tranq- Ow! My hair! Stop, Mello, I said I was sorry!"

"I'll teach you not to mess with me again, you-"

"Don't drag me to the closet! Don't- Uh, Mello, why are you taking off your shirt? Hey, don't take off my pants! AAAH, MELLO!"

"Don't worry, Matty, you'll like it."

"RAPE, RAPE!"

"You can't rape the willing..."

After a few minutes of a series of moaning and thumping coming from their closet, Matt finally stumbled out, naked and breathing hard. "Damn it, Mello!" he groaned. "My ass hurts!"

Mello just leaned against the frame of the closet, his jeans back on. He was grinning from ear-to-ear. The seme winked. "Told you you'd enjoy it."


	83. Scream

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXIII. Scream**

Matt woke up to the sight of a pale face with black holes as eyes and lips painted blood red, curled up in the corners in a sinister smile. Needless to say, the gamer nearly wet his pants, and released a scream of his own.

There was the sound of a door being practically kicked open and the _clack clack _of leather boots against tiles echoed. "Matt!" Someone was grabbing his shirt by the collar, shaking. "What happened?"

Matt peeked from behind his hands cautiously. It was just Mello, with golden blond hair and worried blue eyes. "Oh, Mello," the redhead practically sobbed, crushing his boyfriend into a hug. "I swear I freakin' saw Jigsaw!"

Mello, who had no idea what he was talking about, patted his back comfortingly. "There's no one here, Matt," he told him. "You must have been hallucinating."

Matt sniffled, pulling away a little bit to wipe his eyes. Mello saw this and tried not to laugh. "Matt," he said in his most understanding voice, "are you crying?"

"Don't mock me," Matt grumbled. "I saw that..._thing _for real. It was not my imagination."

"Maybe you've been playing too many horror games." Mello chuckled, sitting on the couch and letting Matt hug his waist.

The couple sat there for a peaceful moment, Mello leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Matt, who had calmed down, decided to peek out from behind his elbows.

The thing with the pale face and smiling lips was there, sitting on the table, inches away. It cocked its head to the left, seeming to bore holes into Matt's eyes, even though it didn't have eyes of its own.

Matt screamed and high-tailed out of the room.

Mello opened his eyes, looking worriedly after the gamer. He glanced at the coffee table in front of them wonderingly, but nothing was there.

* * *

**Hm...I do not honestly know where this came from. Um, my attempt at horror/comedy/fluff, I guess? XD**


	84. Guess

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXIV. Guess**

"Am I...a screwdriver?" Mello asked tiredly.

"No," Matt said. "Silly, screwdrivers don't moo."

"Matt!" Mello scowled, slapping his hand on the table. "For the last time, don't give me clues that would give away what I am." He pointed to his forehead, where a card stated, 'Cow.' "Fucking idiot. This is a stupid game anyway."

"But you're so amusing!" Matt protested. "And cows aren't the only ones that moo. Goats can too, right?" He sounded so serious.

Mello groaned. "And _you _were third in Wammy's."


	85. Bow

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXV. Bow**

"I am King Mello and everyone shall bow down to me!" a six-year-old Mello proclaimed in the Playroom of Wammy's House.

All of the orphans looked at him in irritation, grumbling to themselves as they exited to find a quieter place to hang out.

"Hmph." Mello watched them all leave in disdain. Did no one have any respect for the Number 1 student at Wammy's? Ungrateful little morons, all of them.

But a shock of red hair caught the young blond's eye and he glanced to his left. To his surprise and delight, someone _had _bowed down to him. "Hey." Mello bounded over to the redhead, kneeling down beside him.

The redhead blinked and looked up. "May I sit up now?" Blue eyes, innocent, behind orange-tinted goggles stared up at Mello.

"Yes you may," Mello replied, inwardly bursting with pride. Someone was finally giving him the respect he deserved!

"Okay." The redhead shuffled around until he was comfortable, sitting Indian-position in front of Mello. He smiled brightly. "I'm Matt!" he chirped. "Nice to meet you, King Mello!"

Mello found himself smiling back. "Nice to meet you, too, Matt." There was something in the boy that caused the temperamental blond to be instinctively drawn to him. Maybe it was Matt's light atmosphere? Mello felt the sudden need to thank the boy. "Here, Matt." Mello dug around his pockets, looking for the old DS he'd found a few days back.

Matt received the handheld game system, eyes wide and mouth open. "Wow! Thanks so much!" Without any warning, he dove forward a hugged Mello.

Mello was so surprised that he fell back down the floor. "What'd you do that for?" he asked, bewildered.

"I hugged you," Matt explained, making no move to get off of the other, "because you gave me somethin' nice." He placed a sticky kiss to Mello's cheek. "And that's because I like you."


	86. Blackout

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXVI. Blackout**

"Mello!" Matt shrieked, reaching out blindly. "Mello, help! Someone turned out the lights!"

There was the sound of footsteps approaching, then Matt felt Mello clasp him on the shoulder. "The lights are on," the blond stated.

"No they're not!" Matt cried, still in the dark. "I can't see! I can't see! Oh, god... What if I'm blind?" The goggled boy paused. "I'll never get to play video games ever again!" He burst into tears, falling down face-first on a random surface. The lack of light made it hard to tell.

"Matt! Shut up!" Mello ripped something from Matt's goggles, and suddenly Matt could see again.

The redhead blinked, looking at Mello in awe. "Wha..." He trailed off, and put on his over-excited puppy face. "Thank you Mello!" he exclaimed, giving the other a bear hug.

"Matt," Mello said slowly, holding his hand up, "there was tape on your goggles."

"Why would you do that?" Matt pouted, looking up at him.

Mello sighed in exasperation. "I _didn't. _You did it last night. You were drunk, and decided it would be fun to tape something, and you taped your goggles. Then you unceremoniously passed out on the floor with them still on. Obviously, you hadn't thought about taking them off this morning."

Matt was silent. "I was really drunk last night, huh?" he said in a realizing tone.

Mello nodded solemnly. "Very. At least, drunk enough to take off your goggles and..." He stopped, thinking about what _else _Matt had done before he passed out.

Matt raised an eyebrow, looking curious. "And what?"

Mello smiled sweetly. "Nothing."

* * *

**400 reviews! I love you guys so freakin' much. XD**

**Oh, and I'll leave what Matt did to Mello to your guys' imagination... ;)  
**


	87. Fun

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXVII. Fun**

Mello hated going to clubs. There was too much noise and too many girls-occasionally guys- that came up to him and tried to flirt. Yet he found himself in a particular nightclub, staring at the dance floor where Light and L-the ones who'd dragged him here- were dancing very provocatively.

The blond sighed, leaning back in his seat. Why did he ever come in the first place?

He got up, ready to leave. He was just a few feet away from the exit when a rather cute redhead caught his eye. Mello glanced to his right where the other teen was sitting by himself, drinking something with a straw and obviously drunk.

Mello smoothly took a detour and walked to the redhead, sitting in the seat in front of him. "So," the leather wearing teen asked, "what's a cute guy like you doing here?"

The redhead sipped from the straw. "Drinkin'," he answered, smiling innocently.

"Ah." Mello nodded, smirking. "I'm Mello. What's your name, cutie?"

The other giggled. "My name's Mail," he slurred. "But you can call me Matt." Another tantalizing sip from the straw.

Matt was just too innocent for his own good, Mello decided. "So, how about we go to my place and have some fun, Matt?" he suggested.

Matt looked at him with wide eyes, sipping again. "What kinda fun?" he asked.

"Lots of fun," Mello promised, smiling in victory.

"Okay!" Matt chirped, getting up too quickly. He stumbled and would have fallen, but Mello steadied him.

"Easy there, red." He smirked.

Matt giggled, hiccuping. "Let's go and have some fun now," he said. "Do you have Mortal Kombat? That's fun."

Mello led him outside to his motorcycle. "Sure," he said absent-mindedly. "But I have a better idea." He grinned as they got on the motorcycle and began speeding towards his apartment...

* * *

"Oh, you were right! This is fun!"

"Of course, Matt. You can never get tired of poker."

* * *

**...What? What did _you _think they were going to do? XP**

**If it makes you feel any better...they were playing strip poker.. XD  
**


	88. Airplanes

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXVIII. Airplanes**

Matt was lying on the grass next to Mello, gazing up at the night sky. It was clear tonight, so the stars glittered brightly.

Suddenly, the redhead said, "Oh look, Mello! Look at that one! It's moving!" He pointed frantically at it.

Mello furrowed his eyebrows. "Um, Matt-"

"What should I do?" Matt wondered out loud. "Do you think I should make a wish? Because it's a shooting star, right?"

Mello opened his mouth to answer, but Matt continued, "Ooh, wait! It could be a flying saucer! A UFO! That's so cool! But I'm gonna make a wish anyway, in case it's really a shooting star." A pause. A loud, realizing gasp. "What if it's a meteor heading towards Earth to destroy us all?" Matt screeched, throwing his arms around Mello and hugging him.

The blond looked down at his side, blinking. "Matt. It's an airplane."

Matt took a few seconds to look up at him. "Oh." He squinted at the sky. "Oh, right. I knew that." He awkwardly moved off of Mello, scooting away.

Mello was smirking.

"I knew that!" Matt protested. "I was just joking."

"Sure."

"I did, I swear!" Matt huffed and turned away. Eventually, the twelve-year-old gasped again, pointing up to one of the windows of Wammy. "Oh my god, Mello, it's a _ghost_!" he shrieked.

Mello whacked him over the head. "Shut up! It's just Near, you idiot."

Matt whimpered, sitting up. "I knew that!" he told Mello. "I knew it. I was just trying to scare you."

Mello rolled his eyes. "Sure, Matt. Sure."

Two minutes of silence. Then...

"OH MY GOD," Matt began to babble, eyes wide, pointing at yet another thing, "IT'S A DEER!"

"It's a tree!" Mello yelled. He huffed, shoved Matt over, and got up to go back inside.


	89. Compatibility

**Looseleaf**

**LXXXIX. Compatibility**

**Sagittarius and Aquarius Love Compatibility**

_The combination usually has a great chance for success. These two are so innovative about lovemaking that they ought to charge admission. In addition, they inspire each other intellectually, for Aquarius has far-out, inventive ideas and Sagittarius is optimistic and visionary. They both are unpredictable, active and cheerful. They both like making love. They have rich imagination and they are full of interesting fantasies. They love to be the center of everyone's attention. Usually they are interesting people which are not suffering from jealousy. There is a very good chance for a successful relationship. Many of their values are alike and their need to be outgoing and sociable is inherent in both of these people. Aquarius and Sagittarius both understand the need to let the other be when they need their freedom._

Matt stared thoughtfully at the screen, putting out his latest cigarette. "Hm." Well, this was an interesting bit of information.

Mello came in the room, stretching. "Matt? You're supposed to be watching the monitors."

"Hey, hey, look, Mel." Matt pointed to the paragraph excitedly.

Mello read the whole thing in fifteen seconds. He sat back, smirking. "Well, it's right about one thing."

"What?"

"We like 'making love,' as they put it."

Matt blinked, rereading it. "And it's right about the interesting fantasies, too."

Mello snorted. "Whatever are you talking about, Matty-dear?"

"I mean the fuckin' roleplays that you _insist _that we do before we do it," Matt grumbled.

Mello waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, please. They're not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Matt yelled. "Last night you suggested tentacles! Thank god I didn't agree to that!"

Giggling, Mello leaned into Matt's face. "All right, how about this, Matt," he said, grinning slyly, "I'm the baker, you're the dough, and I'll pound you _all night long._"

All the blood rushed to a certain part of Matt's body...


	90. Dream

**Looseleaf**

**XC. Dream  
**

Matt finally put down his controller for the first time in two days, stretching and going to the kitchen for a snack. He fully intended to go straight back to gaming when he passed by a crack in the bedroom door.

Smiling, he peeked in and saw Mello fast asleep on the bed.

Quietly, Matt entered the room and tiptoed over, caressing the blond's cheek and kissing it softly. Mello stirred but didn't wake.

Matt noticed something.

The Death Note. Mello was clutching it, looking dreamy, and a corner of the black notebook was in his mouth. Matt thought he saw Mello chewing.

"Mello! What are you doing?" Matt woke the other up, because he knew that Mello would throw a fit later on and somehow find a way to blame him.

"Hunh?" Mello roused, sitting up and yawning. The saliva-coated Death Note fell into his lap. Blinking, Mello looked down then back up. "Matt, what is this?" demanded.

"You did it!" Matt protested, putting his arms up in the air. "Not me!"

Mello rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Go clean this up." He tossed the notebook carelessly at the redhead, who squealed and avoided it. "Matt!" Mello thundered.

"Mello!" Matt moaned in return, closing his eyes and putting a hand to his forehead dramatically. "Oh, _Mello_-"

A kick in the groin.

Matt crumpled.

Mello glared. "Now go clean it up."

Matt stuck his tongue out and limped to the bathroom, carrying the Note. "So, Mels, why were you eating it anyway?" he asked, trying to recover from the crotch blow.

Mello didn't answer for a while. Matt poked his head outside to see him crossing his arms, looking away, and pouting. "I was dreaming."

"That the Death Note was an edible morsel?" Matt piped.

"No, I thought it was a donut," Mello corrected.

"...Mm." Matt walked into the bathroom, where he first shut the door before bursting into laughter. _Mello couldn't possibly be able to tear down the door, right?

* * *

_

**So, who thought it was chocolate at first? :3**

**90th chapter! Ten more to 100!  
**


	91. Force

**Looseleaf**

**XCI. Force  
**

"Mello, I'm going to do this whether you like it or not," Matt said seriously.

"You asshole! Let me go this instant!" Mello growled.

"And why should I? You're tied up nice and tight. You can't get me," Matt said joyously.

"I'll sue you!" Mello shrieked.

"And risk getting caught by the police?" Matt scoffed. "I think not."

Mello bared his teeth. "I'll kill you. I swear to god I'll kill you, Matt." He cursed, struggling against the handcuffs that kept his hands over his head and attached to the headboard.

There was the sound of something being opened. Matt showed no sign of letting up.

"F-fine!" Mello said quickly. "I-I'll buy you a new video game if you let me go!"

Matt grinned, shaking his head. "I think that's a shitty offer. Anything better?"

"Three new video games!" Mello amended. "And a new PSP. A-and I won't try to shoot you for the next two weeks," he added.

Matt shrugged. "Okay," he said, unlocking the handcuffs. "You really didn't need to add that last one, though. I was going to let you off the hook when you said you'd get me the PSP and the games, but thanks anyway." He released Mello's legs.

"Bitch!" Mello screeched once he was free, tackling Matt to the floor. There was a brief scuttle(which Mello won) before Mello stood and kicked Matt in the shin. In his hand was the chocolate bar that Matt had threatened to eat.

"Next time you try something like this again," Mello hissed, "I'll cut off your balls."

"But then what use would I be to you?" Matt managed, grinning up at him.

Mello kicked his head-not hard enough to spill blood, but enough so it felt at least painful- before lifting his chin up in the air and striding out of the room.

* * *

**See? Matt wasn't raping Mello. :3**

**I'm so sorry for not updating any of my stories for the past three days(that's a long time for me). The next week is going to be busy for me, so I may not update as often... Thanks for bearing with me, everyone. :)**

**.F**

**PostScript: And since people were asking, I'm not going to stop at 100.  
**


	92. Persuade

**Looseleaf**

**XCII. Persuade**

"C'mon, Melly-Bear, can't we at _least _try it?" Matt whined.

Mello blinked, cocking an eyebrow. "Did you just call me 'Melly-Bear?' "

"Yes, and you're such a meanie!" Matt said childishly.

Mello rolled his eyes. "Very mature, Matt," he chided. "Anyhow, I suppose it couldn't hurt to try..."

Matt grinned. "Yes!" he crowed.

Mello smirked. " 'kay, Matty, why don't you lie down on the bed while I get changed?"

Matt nodded, scrambling to obey orders.

Ten minutes later, Mello emerged from the bathroom wearing a black dress with slightly puffed sleeves. The corset was trimmed with white lace in swirling designs. The dress came down a little past his knees and black flats replaced his usual leather boots. To top it all off, Mello wore a headband with black and crimson red flowers in it, the colors contrasting against his golden hair.

"Oh, my Zelda," Matt breathed.

"Do I look that good, Matt?" Mello purred, walking to the edge of the bed. He leaned forward to capture Matt's lips in a deep kiss, using the redhead's slightly open mouth to slip his tongue inside. Matt moaned and Mello gained confidence, pressing him back to the mattress.

"Ah, I love you," Matt mumbled against his lips as his arms was held above his head by Mello's hands. He was too distracted to notice Mello fiddling with something until a loud _click _caught his attention. "Mello?" he asked, intending to put a hand on the blond cheek. However, it was restrained, and Matt looked up in horror to see his hands cuffed to the headboard. "Mello!" he exclaimed, wriggling around. "What are you doing?"

"It's called payback, Matty," Mello said casually, walking to the opened laptop sitting on their desk. He found the wanted site and turned the volume all the way up. "You like Hannah Montana, don't you?" he said conversationally as _Best of Both Worlds _started to play.

"Mello!" Matt repeated in a shriller voice. "I'm sorry for yesterday, okay? Let me go! Don't leave me in here with that!"

Mello smirked. "Too bad." He dropped a short kiss on Matt's cheek, patting it with a gloved hand. "Now, be a good boy and sit tight 'til I come back, okay?"

Matt gulped. "Where are you going?"

"The mall," Mello replied, putting his jacket on. "I've been meaning to get new gloves anyway. Love you, Matt." He blew the gamer a kiss before exiting the bedroom.

Matt lied there until the song ended and replayed itself. His eye twitched, his legs spasming, and suddenly he was thrashing around the bed, shrieking wildly for Mello to come back.

Outside, Mello leaned against the wall and snickered.


	93. Slave

**Looseleaf**

**XCIII. Slave**

"Who was it, master?" Matt asked from his place beside the bed, peeking over the edge timidly.

"Near," Mello said dismissively. "He called to admit that I was number one. I think I may have found my new lover."

"No, Mello!" Matt cried, throwing himself across the bed. "I-I mean, master! Please don't leave me!"

Mello sighed. "Matt..."

"Mello! I love you!" Matt burst out, hugging Mello and crying into his shirt.

"Slave, you're ruining my leather," Mello stated.

Matt drew back immediately, scrambling up to his feet. "I'm sorry master!" He sank back down to his knees, once again peering over the edge of the bed. "Should I go get you another set of clothes? Should I draw a bath?"

"Matt-" Mello began tiredly.

"Mello! I love you!" Matt said randomly. "I got the groceries like you told me to. We have chocolate syrup. I can cover myself in it now, master, just like you wanted. Or you can cover yourself with it and make me lick-"

Mello burst out in a fit of giggles. "Okay, Matt, I get it!"

The redhead smiled shyly, standing up and sitting on the bed. "And that," he said, "is how I would react if you really were my master and I was really your slave."

Mello grinned. "You're a good actor," he commented. "You had me believing you there for one second."

"Thanks." Matt blushed.

"And were you serious about the chocolate syrup?" Mello inquired, raising an eyebrow and smiling sultrily.

Matt smirked. "It's on the counter," he whispered.

Needless to say, they had to wash their sheets over three times the next morning before the chocolate stains finally came out.

* * *

**If you don't get it, Matt was showing Mello how they would act if they were into the master/slave stuff. The first part they were pretending. ^^**


	94. Confession

**Looseleaf**

**XCIV. Confession**

"Um, Mello, I have t-to tell you something," Matt said nervously, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

Mello grunted his acknowledgment, not looking up from the textbook he was reading.

"Well, uh, I kinda - Um, I don't know how to say this... You see, I found out lately that, um, I..." Matt said, inwardly freaking out. Why had he decided to tell Mello about his little crush again?

"What is it, Matt?" Mello finally looked up, concern visible in his eyes.

"I..." Matt took a deep breath. "I kinda like you!" As he said this, he slammed his hand down the table, effectively knocking over the hot chocolate that was sitting beside Mello's textbook. The mug wobbled and toppled over, thankfully missing the book. But Matt watched in horror as the beverage spilled over Mello's lap, the blond going rigid.

"I'm sorry!" Matt squeaked, immediately pulling his sleeve over his hand and using it to wipe Mello's lap. "I wasn't looking-I swear it was an accident-I'm really sorry-Mello, I-" Matt stumbled over his words. "And I really should stop touching you there," he mumbled, hastily drawing his hand back once he realized what he was doing to his _very straight _best friend. "B-but, yeah, I really like you and I sort of want us to be more than best friends," Matt said. "Only if you want to, though," he added hurriedly. "I don't want to-" He groaned. "I just kind of like you, okay?"

Mello raised an eyebrow. "And I'm kind of freaked out," he admitted.

Matt sighed dejectedly. "I'll go get some chocolate," he mumbled, exiting the door.

Once he was gone, Mello shook his head to himself. He glanced at Matt's pillow, where he'd hid his Valentine's Day card two days before. Obviously the redhead hadn't discovered it yet.

Mello shrugged, standing to change and wash off. The gamer will find it soon.


	95. Idiot

**Looseleaf**

**XCV. Idiot  
**

"Mello!"

The moment the blond stepped in their room, he was tackled by Matt, who very much resembled an over-excited puppy. The redhead grinned up at him. "Guess what!" he said.

Mello rolled his eyes. "What?"

"Someone gave me a Valentine!" Matt babbled, shoving the card in Mello's face. "Only I don't know who it's from, because the idiot fucker forgot to put their name on." Matt giggled.

"Idiot fucker?" Mello echoed, sounding offended.

"Yeah, but they were a smart idiot fucker," Matt amended, bouncing in place, grinning. "Somehow, they put the card under my pillow. I mean, with you being paranoid and always locking our room, they must have some skill to be able to do that."

Mello looked at Matt skeptically until sighing. "And let me guess, you want me to help you find out who it is," he drawled.

Matt nodded eagerly. "You'd really help?" he asked.

Ruffling his hair, Mello said, "Sure. But in fact, I happen to know the culprit."

Matt's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yep." Mello smiled. "Want a hint?"

"Yes please!" Matt nodded.

"It's someone you know," Mello said deliberately, "and they're a blond. And they're hot." He paused, then smiled wider. "Yeah, they're really hot."

Matt looked at him in awe. "Really? I must be lucky then." He smiled to himself, clutching the card to his chest. "Let's see, the only person I know that's blond is you and that creepy weird kid that likes oranges. But it can't be you, or the weird kid, since he's been in the infirmary for the last two weeks with a twisted ankle. Hm..."

Mello blinked. "What do you mean, it can't be me?"

Here Matt suddenly grinned, stepping up to Mello and putting his arms around the taller boy's neck. "Because," the redhead whispered, "you're not hot. You're fucking sexy."

"Bastard," Mello growled, realizing Matt had been playing him.

Matt giggled girlishly. "And Mello," he said over his shoulder, reading over the card again.

Irritated, Mello grumbled, "What?"

"Would you really streak across the street if I was about to be shot down just to distract the police and I can get away?" Matt asked innocently, holding the card open where it said so in red letters.

"If the opportunity comes up," Mello muttered, turning away with a red face.

Matt smiled mischievously. "I better go rob a bank then."


	96. Wings

**Looseleaf**

**XCVI. Wings**

"I've never told you, Matt," Mello sighed, "but I've always wanted wings."

Matt perked up from his gaming magazine. "I love them!" he exclaimed.

Mello nodded. "I know! I don't want white ones though. They're so overused."

Matt frowned. "I don't think they have white ones," he said, confused.

"I want black ones," Mello said, ignoring him.

"But wouldn't that mean they're burnt?" Matt said, squirming in his seat. "Wings are never good when they're burnt."

Mello put a finger to his chin. "Hmm...I guess you're right. White ones are better then, I guess. They'd contrast against my black leather."

Matt cocked his head and wondered what the heck Mello's leathers had to do with wings. He shrugged. "So you want wings?" he asked the blond.

Mello nodded. "It'd be so awesome."

xxx

"Mello!" Matt chirped, practically skipping into the apartment the next day. "I got you wings!" He deposited a box of Pizza Hut's buffalo wings on the counter.

Said chocoholic emerged from the bedroom. "Wings?" He looked quizzically at the box. Slowly, he opened it and burst out laughing. Inside were about ten _white _chicken wings.

"What?" Matt pouted. "You said you wanted wings!"

"Matty, wings that make me fly," Mello explained before erupting into another fit of giggles.

"So...you like it?" Matt asked hopefully, smiling.

Rolling his eyes, Mello patted his retarded lover on the head. "Of course I do."


	97. Piercing

**Looseleaf**

**XCVII. Piercing**

"I got that piercing I was talking about the other day."

"Wow, you were serious?"

"Yeah. When have I never been serious, Mel? No, don't answer that. Anyway, wanna see it?"

"...Sure?"

"'kay, here, lemme take it out."

"Ew! Matt, that's disgusting!"

"What? I think it's cool."

"Why'd you have to pierce _that _part of your body? God, now it's going to feel fucking weird in my mouth."

"Aw, we don't do it that much, Mello."

"You insist on doing it in public."

"Only because people keep staring at you!"

"Getting protective, eh, Matty?"

"Hmph. Maybe if you stop wearing revealing leather..."

"If you stop smoking. Now shut up and let me see what it's like..." Mello leaned in, kissing Matt's lips. The redhead gaped a little, and Mello used this to his advantage, slipping his tongue in.

"Ugh, it feels like I'm kissing a warm, wet gun," Mello said distastefully, pulling away.

Matt stuck out his tongue, the piercing on the tip gleaming. "I's not tha' bad," he said, trying to look at it.

"Whatever. You're getting it taken out," Mello said.

"Mello!" Matt whined.

But Mello was already walking away to find some more chocolate.


	98. Proof

**Looseleaf**

**XCVIII. Proof  
**

"There you go. Is this proof enough for you?"

"I-I wasn't s-serious."

"You were the one who wanted to see who had the bigger one. Your turn, Matty."

The sound of clothes being dropped was heard. "There."

"Hm. Mine's bigger."

"What! Mello!"

"That means I'm on top. Lie on the bed and take it, bitch."

"Hey! You're lying! You can't really tell, they could be the same size."

"We can go ask Near, then. He'll be able to judge for sure."

"I didn't mean that! It's just...I don't think it will fit."

"Fit?"

"Yeah, y'know, fit in me. I'm gonna bleed all over the place. Maybe it'd be better if I'm on top-"

Mello waved his hand dismissively. "Of course it will fit," he said confidently, striding forward and pushing Matt onto the bed. He kissed the gamer, pinning his hands over his head.

Matt squirmed and protested. "It won't fit!"

Mello smiled cockily, trailing a hand down Matt's bare chest. "Wanna try?"

* * *

**Because someone said that I was getting too predictable. :3**

**Also, two more chapters to 100!  
**


	99. Running

**Looseleaf**

**XCIX. Running  
**

Matt sighed, taking a drag from his cigarette, inhaling his addiction for what may be the last time.

Mello crumpled up the foil wrapper of his chocolate bar, carelessly throwing it over his shoulder. Without another word, Mello straightened, walked over to his motorcyle, and mounted it. He gave a half-smile to nothing in particular. He started the engine and sped off.

Matt waited a full minute before following suit, getting into his car and driving towards his destination.

"I'm so sorry that I've fallen," Matt murmured, his fingers slowly curling in into a fist. "Help me up, let's keep on running. Don't let me fall out of love..." He fired the smoke bomb. He rammed his foot down on the gas pedal and drove like there was no tomorrow. _Or maybe there wouldn't be._

"Do you think we'll make it?" Matt whispered barely audibly, seconds just before he was cornered by the police cars.

"I really hope we make it," Mello said softly, fingering his rosary as he got in the truck with Takada. He stifled a sob, breathing deeply. "We're running," he quoted to himself.

"Keep holding my hand," Matt mumbled, getting out of the car. "So we-" _Bang bang bang._

"-don't get-" Pain shot up in Mello's chest when he saw the screen, and he couldn't finish. Then, the pain came again, except this time it was more intense. He felt his heartbeat slowing...

Mello's head lolled forward, but instead of the steering wheel, he leaned against Matt's bloodsoaked chest as he cradled the redhead in his lap. Their hands laid limply on top of each other's.

_"Keep holding my hand so we don't get separated."

* * *

_

**I promise that the 100th chapter will be happy. I pinky swear.**_  
_


	100. Hypothetically

**Looseleaf**

**C. Hypothetically**

"Mello! Our baby's cryin'!" twelve-year-old Matt complained, burying his face back into his pillows.

"It's your turn!" Mello groaned from across the room.

"But!" Matt protested.

"Just shut the thing up!" Mello yelled.

"Fine." Grumbling, Matt staggered out of bed to the doll, picking it up and making a face. "God, to think that one day I'm gonna have one of you..." Matt muttered, shaking the fake baby. "Shut up!" he shouted, rubbing at his eyes with a hand. With the other, he slammed the baby's head down on the table. "Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!"

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Th-_

Someone placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Matt, are you okay?" Mello asked, looking at him.

Matt giggled, sounding giddy. "I'm just fine, Mello," he said with a creepy grin. "I mean, can't you see how much I'm enjoying giving up a week's worth of sleep to care for my damn baby?" He rocked the baby back and forth in the crook of his elbow. "La la la," he said joyously.

Worriedly, Mello took the baby out of the redhead's arms. "The project ends tomorrow, Matty," he reminded him. "Just one more day."

"I wanna play my video games!" Matt suddenly sobbed, throwing the baby down on the floor and hugging Mello. "I don't wanna listen to that infernal reincarnation of Satan cry and cry and cry!"

Mello patted his back, rolling his eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, if we ever have a baby, I'll be the one who takes care of it." _Because I'm not going to suddenly break down one day and smash its head on the table._

Matt sniffed. "Really?"

"Really." Mello nodded.

As the baby wailed on the floor, Matt re-composed himself in Mello's arms. Brightening up, he said, "Hey Mels?"

"Hm?"

"If we have a baby..._hypothetically_," Matt smiled, "can we name it Zelda?"

* * *

**Happy one hundredth chapter! **


	101. Confetti

**Looseleaf**

**CI. Confetti**

"Did you get the confetti?" Matt asked, not looking up from his game.

"Yeah." Mello sat down next to him. "What did you want it for again?"

"Feed me," Matt instructed, opening his mouth.

Giving him a worried looking, Mello said, "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Of course," Matt said dismissively, punching in combos on his controller. "I've done it countless times." He opened his mouth again.

"All right." Mello shrugged, fishing out a handful of confetti. He lifted it to the gamer's mouth and dropped it in, watching Matt chew, then spit it out.

Matt coughed, dropping his game. "What that fuck is that?" he said, looking scornfully at the colorful paper on the carpet.

"Confetti," Mello said. "Duh."

"I meant confetti as in the frosting type!" Matt said, spitting out a few more pieces. "Yuck! Mello!"

"What?" Mello said hotly. "You didn't clarify! You said 'confetti,' so I got you confetti!"

"My god," Matt groaned, clutching his chest. He just leaned weakly back for a few seconds.

"You okay?" Mello asked, calming down.

"I'm good." Matt picked up a string of confetti. "It doesn't taste bad, though..."

Mello growled, whacking Matt behind the head before standing. "Fine," he said haughtily. "But don't come crying to me when you go to the bathroom and pee rainbows." With a huff, he stormed out of the room.


	102. Decisions

**Looseleaf**

**CII. Decisions  
**

"We should name it Zelda," Matt said.

Mello glared up at him, cradling their newborn baby in his hands. "I thought you were kidding about that," he said.

Matt gave him a confused look. "But you promised!"

"Yeah, but I didn't know that in ten years, we'd actually have a baby!" Mello growled.

Matt pouted. "But Mello!" he whined.

"No!" Mello snapped. "I'm the one who gave birth to him, and we're not naming him after some stupid video game character! Besides, our baby's a boy, not a girl!"

"Zelda's not stupid!" Matt protested.

The doctors surrounding them watched the two bicker over baby names.

Finally, Mello said seriously, "All right. We can name him Lion, or whatever-"

"It's Leon!" Matt corrected, thinking of the guy from Resident Evil.

"Leon. I don't care," Mello said. "As long as his middle name is Hershey."

"But-" Matt began.

"Shut up, nerd!" Mello exploded. He turned to the nurse to tell her their baby's name, then laid back in satisfaction.

The following afternoon, Mello and Matt stood in the hospital's lobby, Matt holding the baby for the first time. Mello was examining the birth certificate.

The doctors watched the couple exit the building, each of them wondering, _How the hell is that baby going to survive?_

* * *

**Again, don't ask how Mello had...heh...Leon Hershey. He just somehow did. ^^**

**And...am I the only one who thinks Lady GaGa is cosplaying Mello at the end of her Alejandro music video? Seriously, blond hair, black vest, black pants...  
**


	103. Made For Each Other

**Looseleaf**

**CIII. Made For Each Other  
**

"Mel, those two people who made Death Note totally made us for each other," Matt said as a matter-of-factly, studying the manga in his hands.

Mello snorted. "And what has that interesting little brain of yours come up with now?" he asked.

"Well, in chapter 64," Matt began, turning to the page, "there's a page where Misa is on the couch, and Light is on the computer. Misa's wearing a black shirt, and Light is wearing stripes."

"So?" Mello said, shrugging.

"So," Matt said, smiling, "I think the person who drew the manga used this image to show that they really want to pair us. I mean, it could be the other way around, but why would they need to disguise Light and Misa's relationship? It makes more sense that it represents us, because the two authors were probably afraid that if they had a gay couple in the manga, it would turn away some readers."

Mello finally turned from the computer to look at his lover, raising an eyebrow. "Speak," he demanded.

"Well, first of all," Matt said, "we're in the same position as them, only switched around. I'm laid out on the couch, and you're on the laptop." He smiled cheekily.

"What else?"

"Misa's blond, so are you. Light's a brunet, and my hair's dark brown-red, but they're close enough. Misa's wearing a black shirt, so are you. Light's wearing stripes, so am I. They're engaged," Matt said.

Mello narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say, Jeevas?"

"I'm trying to say that since we're similar enough, why not be common in one more thing?" Suddenly sitting up and taking something out of his pocket, Matt asked, "Mello, will you marry me?"

* * *

**Got the idea after I reread Near calling the President of the U.S. 'chickenshit.' XD Always a good laugh. **

**Another thing: Since the Lady GaGa cosplaying Mello incident, I've had my eyes peeled for other things like that(heh, peeled). AND I FOUND ANOTHER. :D In Scott Pilgrim vs the World, there's this concert part, and there's a blonde with pigtails, a black Lolita dress(looks like it anyway), and she's a popstar. When I saw her in the trailer I was like, "HOW DID MISA GET IN THERE?" :3 Sneaky peoples...**

**And. 600 reviews. O.O I'm seriously shocked.  
**


	104. Title

**Looseleaf**

**CIV. Title**

"Mello, what am I to you?" Matt said, looking up at the other curiously.

Mello put an arm around his shoulder as they walked down the sidewalk, glaring at anyone who gave them distasteful looks. "What do you mean?"

"Like, am I your lover, or...?" Matt said.

"I never really thought about it," Mello answered. "You can be my lover if you want to, I guess."

"I don't know, that sounds onesided to me. Something else?" Matt said hopefully.

"How about gay lover?" Mello amended.

Matt looked horrified. "You're kidding, right?"

"Slave?" Mello suggested. "Pet?"

"Ew. No." Matt stuck his tongue out.

"Stalker?"

"Shut up! _Just _because I stared at you in class everyday at Wammy's does _not _mean I'm your stalker," Matt said, frowning.

Mello rolled his eyes. "How about boyfriend?" he asked as he lifted his middle finger up at a lady who scowled at the pair.

Matt gave a thoughtful hum. "It sounds nice, but it's weird to be calling you my boyfriend when we're twenty two years old already."

"Getting picky, huh, Matty?" Mello said jokingly, ruffling the redhead's hair.

"I just want to know what you consider me as," Matt said, turning red in the cheeks.

"Mmm... How about mine?" Mello offered, smiling.

"Yours," Matt echoed, leaning against Mello's shoulder with a little happy sigh. "Yeah, I like that."

* * *

**They're twenty two, meaning they survived the Kira case, because they did. THEY DID.**

**Also, check out the music video for Nickelback's 'Saving Me.'  
**


	105. Thunder

**Looseleaf**

**CV. Thunder**

Seven-year-old Matt shivered even though he was buried under two blankets and big, thick comforter. The half-closed blinds were enough to let bright flashes of lightning through, thunder rumbling and the rain pattering hard against the window.

Mail Jeevas was terrified.

So, he did the only thing he could think of.

Clad in nothing but his boxers, the little redheaded boy grabbed his favorite blanket and scampered across the room to his new roommate, Mello. Without hesitation, he dove in the covers next to the blond.

He did this with all of his previous roommates. It had been the main reason they all requested for new rooms, because sharing the bed with a boy for the simple reason that he was scared of thunderstorms, of all things, was not really comfortable.

Mello groaned, eyes opening halfway to glare down at the other. "Get the fuck out," the precocious eight-year-old snarled, grabbing Matt's hair and yanking him backwards.

Matt tumbled back down on the floor. Mello turned over so he wasn't facing him.

A rather loud boom of thunder emitted from outside. Matt squeaked and burrowed himself back into the bed with Mello again, not caring whether or not he'd get a bloody nose from this.

Seething with anger and annoyance, Mello lifted his arm to snap at the redhead, who'd glued himself to the chocoholic's side. Then, Mello heard his soft whimpers and saw his scrunched up, scared, and admittedly adorable face, and he faltered. _What am I thinking? _he asked himself, shoving Matt down to the floor again. "Go back to your own bed," Mello grumbled, lifting the covers up and over his head.

Lightning flashed. Matt sniffled, pressing himself into the side of Mello's bed, refusing to be away from the blond.

When morning arrived, Mello stared guiltily at the curled up form of Matt on the floor, the boy looking pale from the cold. That night, when another thunderstorm raged outside, Mello didn't hesitate to let Matt in bed with him.


	106. Way

**Looseleaf**

**CVI. Way**

"I'm bored," Mello groaned, letting his head fall off the edge of his bed. He glared at his roommate, Matt, as if this would solve anything.

Matt, who'd gotten his games confiscated, brightened up. "Let's have a pillow fight!" he exclaimed, looking excited.

Mello gave him a weird look. He was about to ask, "Are you _sure _you're straight?" but then Matt picked up his pillow and smashed it upon Mello's face. "You little bastard!"

Giggling, Matt took off his shirt(it became a bother when they had the fights) before resuming attacking Mello and successfully sending pillow feathers flying everywhere.

Mello just inwardly grinned in victory as Matt leaned over him, the redhead pinning his arms above his head and smiling giddily. Mello merely shrugged when Matt declared, "I win and you lose, Mel," when Mello would usually punch any other person in the face. No, Mello stayed under Matt, savoring the wonderful sight of the gamer.

After all, what better way was there to see Matt half-naked?


	107. Overhear

**Looseleaf**

**CVII. Overhear  
**

Mello cleared his throat, pulling the computer closer. "Can you hear me, L?" he asked, staring at the letter displayed on the screen.

"Better now, thank you, Mello," L replied in the same distorted voice. "I believe that you have some information pertaining to the case currently at hand?"

"Yes," Mello answered, gathering his notes. "I've first-"

"FUCKING SHIT!" came a shriek from outside of the blond's room.

Mello sighed resignedly. "Excuse me L, my, ahem, _partner _is having issues." Making sure to cover the microphone, Mello shouted to Matt, "What the hell's going on, bastard! Can't you see I'm trying to do something?"

"My PopTart fucking exploded!" Matt raged. "And it was the last one in the fucking box, too! What am I supposed to eat now?"

"Exploded?" Mello asked incredulously, rising from his seat. His hand slipped from the microphone, but he didn't take notice. "Did anything catch on fire?"

"Real nice of you, Mel!" Matt hollered as more bangs emitted from the kitchen. "You'd think that my gay-assed lover would be more concerned about my well-being than this piece-of-shit microwave."

"Matt!" Mello snapped.

Said redhead appeared in the doorway. "See? You can't even tell it was supposed to be a pastry and shit." He held up a black charred object.

Mello blinked, forgetting momentarily that he was angry. "Ew, what is that?"

"My PopTart!" Matt explained exasperatedly. He glanced behind Mello, squinting at their laptop. It was angled so he couldn't see the screen. "What are you doing?" he questioned.

"Writing," Mello said distractedly. "Now go away. I need total concentration and you're not helping." Without letting Matt protest, Mello shoved him out of the room, slammed the door shut, locked it, and walked back to the desk.

"Sorry L," Mello apologized into the microphone. "Where were we?"

"Are you-" Matt began to yell.

Mello knew what he was going to say. "Shut the fuck up, Matt!" he yelled back, too mortified to notice that L could hear them. "I am writing a report for a case!"

"Fuck that!" Matt shouted. "You did that report two weeks ago, and today you were supposed to talk to L about it. The only time you ever write is to write pornographic stories about our sex life including your various fetishes!"

"MATT!" Mello exploded.

"WHAT?" Matt screamed back.

"Mello, if this isn't the right time," L began patiently.

"Yeah, sorry L, it's not a very good time," Mello practically growled. "Can we reschedule to tomorrow?"

"I don't mind," L said, and the screen went blank.

Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Mello closed the laptop. Then, he grabbed his gun that was laying on the table, made sure the safety was off, and stormed outside to _talk _to Matt.

* * *

**Matt is very temperamental when he doesn't have his PopTart. -.-**


	108. Smell

**Looseleaf**

**CVIII. Smell**

Matt came home looking pissed off. Mello was able to tell with the way the redhead slammed the door shut and stomped to the kitchen to grab a PopTart.

"So," Mello said, raising an eyebrow almost amusedly.

"So?" Matt said.

"Can I have a welcome home hug?" Mello tried, wondering why his boyfriend was in such a bad mood.

Matt rolled his eyes but smiled, turning to the blond and hugging him. "Happy?" he asked, stroking Mello's hair.

Mello clung onto him, breathing deeply, expecting the scent of cigarettes and strawberries to invade his nose. However, he was surprised to find that Matt smelled like perfume... Mello frowned, pulling away. "Where did you go?" he questioned as casually as he could.

Shrugging, Matt picked up his box of PopTarts, fishing inside to grab a pack. "Eh. Went to the mall. Oh, I bought something for you, it's in the living room."

"The mall?" Mello persisted.

Matt nodded. "Yeah. Y'know, that new one they built two blocks away?"

"What were you doing there?" Mello said.

"Thought I told you, I went to buy you something," Matt said through a mouthful of Hot Fudge Sundae.

"And it took you an hour?" Mello pushed.

Matt stopped chewing, lowering his snack and leaning forward a little to study his companion. Mello met his gaze evenly, trying to conceal what he really wanted to know. "Oh god, you think I'm cheating on you?" Matt finally said incredulously.

Startled that the redhead caught on so fast, Mello stammered, "N-no I don't!"

Matt seemed to find this funny, bursting out in laughter. "Mels, you really thought-? Hah, this is just priceless." He continued to laugh, leaning on the counter for support.

Blushing furiously and mortified beyond belief, Mello said, "Well, it's not my fault you went to buy something for an hour, then come back smelling like perfume!"

Matt calmed down, still smiling. "I got bombarded by a group of saleswomen while I tried to get that thing you've been lusting after on TV. Shit, man, they sprayed all kinds of stuff on me. You better be damn thankful."

Mello gasped in realization. "You mean..." he began breathlessly.

"Yes, Mello," Matt chuckled.

"Shut up Matt!" Mello shrieked, hurrying to the living room to get his precious item from the couch. "There's nothing wrong with men caring for their hair!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Matt said, munching on his PopTart. He watched Mello run upstairs, then listened for the sound of the shower starting as Mello tried out his new L'Oreal shampoo.


	109. Interrupt

**Looseleaf**

**CIX. Interrupt  
**

"Matt," Mello began.

"No," Matt interrupted.

"But-"

"I said, no."

"You don't even know what I was going to ask!"

"_No._"

"At least hear me out."

"For the last time, no. I already know that you were going to ask if I can give you a strip tease and let you lick chocolate syrup off of me. Well, Mello, I do _not _want to do that, seeing as last time we did that, it led to sex, and in the morning, you made me wash and change the sheets all by myself."

"...Ugh, fine."

* * *

**I'm gonna be gone for the next two days, Atlantic City again. ^_^ So, no updates for said next two days. **

**Oh, and to Lyrical-Silence, the only the one who noticed that Matt microwaved his PopTart: it's the specific reason the poor pastry exploded. -.-  
**


	110. Rain

**Looseleaf**

**CX. Rain**

Seriously needing a cup of coffee, Mello trudged from his bedroom to their kitchen, taking note of the heavy rain that was taking place outside. After a few minutes of shuffling around, he called out tiredly, "Maaaaaatt. Where's the sugar?"

Mello listened for a reply. None came.

"Matt!" he called again, louder. When he heard nothing again, Mello sighed and slammed his mug down on the counter, ready to go hunting for a redhead. He was just passing a small window when he found him.

"Matt, what the hell!" Mello cried, opening the window and screaming at the gamer.

Matt paused mid-dance move, looking up at Mello with a smile. "Oh, morning, Mels!"

"What are you doing?" Mello shouted, ignoring the raindrops that battered his face.

"Oh, I'm dancing in the rain!" Matt replied brightly.

"Yeah, I can see that!" Mello yelled. "But who the hell dances in the rain _naked_?"

* * *

**I'm baaaack! ^_^ This came to me on our first day at Atlantic City, when it rained. Because of that, we weren't able to go to the beach. :(**


	111. Frosting

**Looseleaf**

**CXI. Frosting**

Matt walked in on Mello eating a sticky white substance out of a container.

"Um..." Matt said uncertainly. "What are you doing?"

Mello turned to him. "Oh, hey Matt!" he greeted happily. "I found this at the back of our cupboards and figured it was frosting. It's good!" With that last statement, he dipped his fingers in and brought it up to his lips, licking them off one by one.

Matt raised an eyebrow quizzically, dipping in his own finger and sniffing the substance. "Um, Mel?"

"Hmm?"

"That's glue."

* * *

**This chapter is dedicated to the love of my life: my jar of frosting. :')**


	112. Hardcover

**Looseleaf**

**CXII. Hardcover**

Matt was feeling very proud of himself this morning, marching into his and Mello's apartment with his chin held high. On the couch, Mello snorted at him, not looking up from his magazine.

"Mello," Matt said, smiling in a kind-of-creepy way.

"Matt," Mello replied evenly.

"Mello."

"Matt."

"_Mello_."

"Barbie."

"Wha'?"

"Nothing, jackass. What do you want?" Mello queried, rolling his eyes.

Here Matt grinned, thrusting a plastic bag into Mello's face. The blond raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"

"My Death Note manga!" Matt boasted. "And it's hardcover!"

Mello gave him a weird stare. "I thought I bought you one a while back," he recalled.

"Yeah, but that one was paperback and you broke it..." Matt shrugged. "Today I remembered, so I went out and bought it."

"Hm," Mello said thoughtfully. "And this time you think I'm not able to break it?"

"I don't think," Matt said, "I know."

The next morning, his new _hardcover _manga lay on their desk, torn to pieces. Matt howled in anguish.

* * *

**Mello's so mean...**

**Anyway, this next week is going to be busy for me, what with school starting in two days, unfortunately. XP I'll try to update, but my dad's going to be hounding me and making sure I put school first. *insert eyeroll* Just wanted to tell everyone to expect not so much updates until the weekend, maybe.  
**


	113. Bubbles

**Looseleaf**

**CXIII. Bubbles**

"OW!" Matt shrieked from his place on the floor. "GODAMMIT, my fucking EYE!"

Half-amused and half-worried, Mello glanced down at him. "What's wrong now?" he asked lazily.

"I was blowing bubbles," Matt whimpered, "when one popped right into front of me and...blinded me. It hurts, Mel," he whined.

"Fine. Stay still." Mello knelt down next to him. When the redhead stopped wriggling, Mello gently guided his hand away from the injury and leaned down.

Five seconds later, Matt demanded, "What. The. Fuck. Was. That."

Mello shrugged, getting back up. "I helped you."

"Mello," Matt said in an even tone. "You _licked my eye._"

Mello nodded solemnly. "I know. Now my tongue tastes like bubble soap, so I'm ordering you to get your ass in the bedroom and replace it with a much more," he smiled, and you could almost imagine the fangs glinting in the light, "_better _taste."

"You mean..." Matt looked puzzled. "...like, feed you a lollipop in bed?"

Mello chuckled darkly. "Sure, Matt...now c'mon, I'm not waiting all day."

Matt nodded obediently and rushed to their bedroom.

Mello followed, grabbing a pair of handcuffs on the way.

* * *

**Four days without updating Looseleaf. ;_; I'm really sorry, guys. School was just terrible, but it's the weekend, so...More updates! :D**


	114. Retard

***Important! **

**[Kari Twilight Mist requested to have this part of the note taken down, so I have, to be cautious. If you'd like to know what's going on, PM me.]**

**And since it's against fanfiction's rules to have an author's note as a chapter, I present to you the possibly-last chapter of Looseleaf.**

**This is dedicated to you, retards of the LU. Take it, bitches.**

**

* * *

**

**Looseleaf**

**CXIV. Retard**

Very loud sobs echoed throughout the empty apartment of two certain Ms. Mello came in the bedroom to see Matt curled up on the floor crying his eyes out.

Concerned, Mello knelt down next to him. "Matt? What's up?" There was something about the redhead's sobs that seemed to say that this wasn't something stupid.

"I-it's that stupid RU!" Matt said through tears. "T-they're t-taking down all of the g-game sites be-because they think they're n-not rated properly!" At this, the gamer cried louder. "It's not fair! What am I supposed to do when I'm bored?"

"Matt..." Mello honestly didn't know what to do. So he chose to ask, "What's the RU?"

"The Retard Union," Matt sniffled. "They go around reporting games that they think are breaking the rules of the game sites they're in. But now it's even worse, because they've got this machine called BlueBootoon that goes around reporting it for them. And they don't even check it, they just take it down!"

"BlueBootoon?" Mello echoed.

"Yeah." Matt rubbed his eyes. "They even spelled button wrong."

Mello thought for some time. He thought of how gaming was everything to Matt, how it was his only way to escape reality... "Matty, you still have me," the blond said softly. "I'll wait this whole shit out with you, even if I'd never appreciated your game-obsession."

Matt looked up at him with doubtful eyes. "You will?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah." Mello nodded. "But first...go get me some German chocolates."

"German?" Matt complained. "They cost, like, fifty bucks a bar!"

Mello blinked. "I'm waiting this stupid ordeal out with you, so don't you be complaining when I tell you to get me a goddamn chocolate bar," he said with an eerie calm.

"...Do we get to have sex afterwards?" Matt said hopefully.

Mello smirked. "If you get it within fifteen minutes."

Matt was out of the door before he even finished saying it.

* * *

**The aforementioned site is: civilinitiative (dot) blogspot (dot) com/2010/08/redbotton-issue-and-what-it-means-for (dot) html**

**I'll see everyone again hopefully soon enough.**

**.Atreyl  
**


	115. Swimming

**Looseleaf**

**CXV. Swimming**

"C'mon, Matty, it'll be fuuuuuun!"

Matt tried not to implode at the last word, which Mello had drawn out like when a child might whine for a candy(or a grown man whining for chocolate, ahem). "No," the redhead replied through gritted teeth. "I promised you I'd come with you to the damn pool, and here I am. I didn't say I'd swim with you."

"Is it because you didn't bring your swimming trunks?" Mello appeared suddenly, looking at Matt where the gamer was sitting on the edge of the pool. "You know, you can always jump in naked," he said, smiling suggestively. "No one's around."

"That's because it's one a.m., and the only reason we're in here was because I picked the lock," Matt retorted.

"But-" Mello pouted in frustration before diving underneath. Fifteen seconds later, he resurfaced, only to give Matt another suggestive grin. "Matty," he cooed, "what would you say if I told you I took my trunks off~?"

Matt gave him a skeptical look. "I'd say-" he began, before he noticed the small lump of black at the bottom of the pool. "Mello!" he might as well have shrieked. "You said you wanted to swim! Not skinny dip!" He scrambled backwards, but was too late. Mello grabbed his foot and pulled the redhead down into the water.

"Fucking son of a-" Matt swore, before Mello's lips were on his. "Damn you," he muttered into the kiss.

Not that he entirely minded the situation.

* * *

**All righty~**** I realized, after, like, a week of not writing these short stories(or whatever you like to call them), I have no creative outlet whatsoever, and 'less I want to be bored to death before I finish school, I'm continuing Looseleaf. Besides, my brother yelled at me loud and clear, possibly broke my eardrums, and is part of the reason Looseleaf continues. Most of it is tiger002's fault(in a pleasant way XD) after they said that I could be overreacting, and I probably was. -.- It sounds like something I'd do.  
**

******Me, immature? Not gonna deny it. ;)  
**


	116. Trip

**Looseleaf**

**CXVI. Trip**

Matt looked up at the ceiling with no particular interest. It had been a boring day overall - Mello was too busy studying, and Matt's GameBoy needed charging, only the redhead couldn't find the charger.

"Hey Mel," he said distractedly.

Mello made a 'Hm' noise, flipping to the next page of his textbook.

"...What do you do to fall asleep?" Matt asked, feeling ridiculous for asking. But then again, he did have problems going to sleep at night, so Mello might be able to help...

Mello shrugged. "I close my eyes and sleep."

"No, I mean, if you're having trouble falling asleep, what do you do?"

"Sheep."

"I'm not allowed, remember?"

"For the sake of my studying time, you can count them for tonight."

"Oh." Matt smiled. "Okay."

There was a small pause as Mello continued to study.

"Hey Mel," Matt spoke up.

Mello exhaled, forcing a smile at Matt. "Yeah?" he said stiffly.

"Do you really count sheep?" Matt queried curiously.

Mello snorted. "Obviously not. I trip them, of course."

* * *

**I feel guilty... I'm supposed to be working on IWFJ, but I have yet another essay to do, and after typing this one up real quick, I couldn't write my part of the chapter at all... Holli, if you're reading this, don't kill me! ;_; I'll have it by tomorrow, I SWEAR!  
**


	117. Defying Gravity

**Looseleaf**

**CXVII. Defying Gravity**

"You know what would be cool?" Mello asked Matt one day. "To defy gravity. It sounds cool to be able to float around and stuff."

Matt snorted. "Really, it isn't."

Mello pouted. "Well, why not? The world's full of possibilities!" he exclaimed.

"I don't think it sounds 'cool' because if you try it, you're going to fall to the ground, break all of your bones, and while I stand there looking like an idiot trying to figure out how to fix you, you're going to bleed to death," Matt said bluntly. "That's why."

Mello went silent.


	118. Lock

**Looseleaf**

**CXVIII. Lock**

"You were totally making passes at Near," Mello said sourly, entering their room first. Immediately, he went off to start studying.

"Mello. I _picked up his pencil_. Then I gave it to him," Matt said exasperatedly. "What? Would it have made you feel better if I shoved it in his eye instead?"

"Well. Considering that we _are_ rivals and all, Matthew," Mello said sarcastically.

"That's not my name."

"I know."

"Mellow-yellow."

"...What?"

"Mellybean."

"Stop."

"Melly-chan."

"I'll castrate you."

"Mello-jello."

"Goddammit, Matt-!" Mello roared, leaping across the room and tackling the redhead to the floor.

Matt gave him a cheeky smile, trying to ignore the blond's knee - which was digging painfully into the gamer's crotch.

"I should put a chastity belt on you," Mello said crossly. "Then keep the key for myself."

Matt rolled his eyes. "How would I piss, then?"

Mello smirked. "We can just make a hole in front of the metal underwear so you can-"

"Okay, I get it!" Matt squawked, thrashing around, face red in embarrassment.

"Pfft." Mello got up off of Matt, brushing imaginary dirt from his shoulders. "Well. I've gotta go shopping. 'Bye."

Matt paled. He wasn't dumb, he knew Mello well enough to know what the blond was up to...

* * *

"Matty-kins!"

"Er...hi."

"Look what I got!"

"Is it a new gam- What. The. Hell."

"Heh, wanna go put it on?"

"Mello! I thought you weren't being- The fuck, _is that a hole in the front?_"

* * *

**A chastity belt is basically this type of metal underwear that usually _girls_ wear. It comes with a lock and key, and the key is most of the time given to either their father to, like, 'preserve' her... o.o**

**Also... "YOUR MAMA WEARS TOO MUCH MAKE-UP!"**

**Pfft. XD**

**erm...cookies if you know what the reference is from? :D  
**


	119. Daisy

**Looseleaf**

**CXIX. Daisy  
**

"Hi, Melly-chan~" Matt chirped, practically skipping into the cafeteria. He made his way to the blond, smiling wide. "Look what I picked for you!"

"Oh hey, Matt..." Mello trailed off, seeing the white daisy that was being offered to him. "What's that?"

Matt giggled. "It's a flower, silly," he said. "I picked it just for you."

Mello saw the grass stains, mud marks, and the blades of grass that was tangled in Matt's red hair, and decided not to ask what the hell 'picking' meant in this case. He focused on the scenario, with him and Matt in the middle of the cafeteria, and other orphans looking on with wide, anticipating eyes.

"He's gonna take it," someone whispered.

"Of course he is! Everyone knows he's gay for-" the rest was cut off when Mello glared at Linda.

Matt was still holding out the flower.

Making a split-second decision, Mello held his breath and prayed for the best as he ripped the flower from Matt's hand, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it. The flower was eventually obliterated into bits.

Mello left his lunch on the nearest table and ran away, trying to ignore Matt's sad face.

* * *

**Mello's such a bitch. XP**

**But worry not! There's a second part to this, and the only reason I didn't stick it on to this chapter is because I have five minutes to get my arse downstairs before the bus leaves. School... -.-**

**"We will be removed. All because of chickenshit president... No, far from chickenshit, less than chickenshit president."  
**


	120. Allergies

**Looseleaf**

**CXX. Allergies**

"Why would you do that, Melly-chan?" Matt whined, entering the room. "I went through a lot to pick that flower, you know!"

Mello sighed, looking up from his textbook. "Sorry, Matty, I really wanted to take it..."

"But you threw it on the ground and stomped on it instead," Matt deadpanned.

"...but I'm allergic to daisies," Mello finished, blushing slightly at the fact that his best friend knew him most embarrassing secret.

"Oh..." Matt went silent for a few moments, before his eyes went wide. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" he cried, leaping forward and tackle-glomping the other boy to the floor.

Mello cursed, struggling to get out of his death grip. "Th-the hell! Let g-go!"

Matt was bawling. "I'm sorry, Mello! I could have killed you! I'm sorry!"

Leave it to Matt to twist the story around so he could blame himself. Mello made a mental note to make sure Matt wouldn't start cutting himself in the future. He opened his mouth to speak, and then stopped himself. Well, the attention was nice...

Mello smirked and let the redhead fawn over him, screaming, "You almost killed me, remember that, Matt?" whenever the gamer refused to get him more chocolate. That lasted for three whole days, until Matt finally got over it and trotted off to find something else to sniff- err, look at. Mello was a little disappointed, though he did enjoy not having to reassure a hysteric Matt every ten minutes. So yes, all was well until-

"Melly-chan, look what I picked for you~!" Matt said sweetly, appearing in the doorway of their classroom one morning. He beamed and held his hand out, offering Mello a bouqet of red roses.


	121. Key

**Looseleaf**

**CXXI. Key**

The cold winter air bit at the exposed skin between Mello's vest and pants. Teeth chattering loudly, Mello wondered why he'd decided not to wear his jacket today. Well, at least he had his gloves...

"Goddamn you Matt," he muttered, blaming the redhead once again. The mafia boss took out what he thought was his key chain and shoved a random one into the keyhole, jiggling it around. "C'mon, open up," he complained, yanking the key back out. It slid about 3/4 of the way, then got stuck.

Another breeze blew harshly into his bare arms. Mello shivered, shaking the key more frantically. "Matt!" he decided to start shouting, pounding on the door. "Unlock the door!"

"Mello...?" came the gamer's voice behind him.

Mello turned, wrapping his arms around himself and squinting. "What are you doing out here?" he asked, trying not to freeze.

"Oh, I was out...doing something." Matt frowned, seeing Mello's choice of clothing. "Ah, Mel, don't you know better than to wear leather in the middle of December?"

"Well, I'm sorry that it was sunny this morning," Mello snapped, glaring. "Just open the damn door already."

Matt shook his head, letting the snow fall away. He unzipped his vest and wrapped it around Mello's shoulders. "Here, step aside."

For a moment, as he revelled in the warmth of the sheepskin vest, Mello felt guilty for being so snappish. "J-just open it already," he mumbled.

A few minutes of creatively stabbing the keyhole in numerous angles, Matt finally freed the key. "Mello," he began, turning towards the other. "This is a knife. Not a key."

Mello furrowed his eyebrows. "Oh." He paused. "Use your key, then."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Yes boss," he said sarcastically, turning away again.

Five minutes passed. Icicles might as well have formed on Mello's nose. "Matt!" he hissed. "What's taking so long?"

"Ha ha," Matt chuckled nervously, slowly turning. "Um. That knife skewered the keyhole's insides and now it's screwed up."

"And?" Mello prompted.

"The key won't work. We're locked out. We can go to the apartment next door, but we'll freeze to death before he'll hear us with that deaf ear..."

"Oh." Mello gave a thoughtful hesitation. "Well, that's not such a bad thing, right? I mean, for warmth, we can always huddle naked."


	122. Complain

**Looseleaf**

**CXXII. Complain**

"That was bullshit!" Matt roared, falling on the couch, stuffing his face into the pillow and proceeding to throw a tantrum.

"_You_ were the one who wanted to watch it," Mello said pointedly, shrugging off his jacket.

Matt looked mournful. "Yeah, but I was expecting Leon to be there- It's Resident Evil, for god's sake, how can they not have him?"

"I don't really care," Mello said. "Hey, what do you want for dinner?"

"I mean, I get it, this one's about Alice and stuff, but they had Chris in there too - and even Claire. But no Leon!" Matt resumed his whining. "I spent twenty dollars for nothing!"

"Why do you even care for that Leon guy anyway?"

"...Because."

"Invalid excuse. Answer me properly."

"Because I just do!" Matt was red in the face, glad that the pillow prevented Mello from seeing him.

Mello rolled his eyes. "Mhm. What, are you gay for him or something?"

Matt slowly looked up. "Partly right," he muttered. _Gay for _you_, _he silently corrected.

"Hm... So you like him, but you're not gay for him," Mello said decisively. "Ah, I understand." With that, he walked away to make some food.

And Matt was left thinking, _No, you don't._

_

* * *

_**Saw Resident Evil 4: Afterlife. Expecting Leon to be there. **

**He wasn't. XP**


	123. Chase

**Looseleaf**

**CXXIII. Chase  
**

"You won't beat me this time!" Mello cried, ordering himself to run faster. And run faster he did, darting forward along the narrow edge of a wall, eyes wild, trained on a single person that was in front of him.

Near.

The albino was skipping - no, literally - away, getting farther by each second.

But eventually, Mello caught up to him, and the blond reached out, barely touching a strand of that damned curly white hair...

Then his foot hit a groove and he stumbled, losing his balance. He teetered off to the right once, only to have gravity pull him down to the left.

And he was falling. Falling down, down, down, into an empty blackness, and Mello flailed his arms, trying hard to hold on to something that would prevent this fa-

"Mello," Matt said boredly, nudging his best friend's head with his shoe. "The hell are you doing on the ground?"

Pausing mid-screech, Mello blinked and open his eyes, squinting up. "None of your business," he snapped.

"You were screaming Near's name," Matt mused, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Is this what your obsession has led you to?"

"You s-shut up," Mello growled, getting up haughtily and brushing himself off. "And if this gets out, I'm going to kill you." As he strode away, he thought to himself, _Because L's successors aren't supposed to daydream about chasing Near-bunnies._


	124. Drug

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****IV. Drug**

"Matt?" Mello called into the bathroom. "Are you done yet?"

"Almost!" Matt said back. "I just need to get this- Ow!" There was a thump, followed by a series of little giggles. " 'kay Mels, I'm coming out." Matt smirked, opening the door. He walked out in a pair of black stilettos, black garters, and a white tank top.

The redhead winked. "You like?"

Mello looked amused. "Hm, why don't you try the other one?" he suggested.

"Okay." Matt pouted a little at the lack of attention, but nonetheless went back in the bathroom to change.

Mello stood outside the door, wondering why this happened so rarely if both he and Matt liked it. He meant that if Matt had willingly put on the skimpy outfit, and was now about to change into that Princess Peach dress he'd found, then why the hell shouldn't they do it the next day?

"H-hey Mels," Matt said shakily from the bathroom, "do we own a purple bunny?"

Had Mello drugged him?

...Psh, of _course_ not.


	125. Acrostic

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****V. Acrostic**

"Hey Mels," Matt called from the couch, yawning. "Why do you love me?"

"Whatever makes you sleep at night," Mello replied, not looking up from his book.

Matt shifted around so he could look at the other seriously. "I'm not kidding," he said quietly. "I mean, I'm such a slob... Why do you even put up with me?"

"Someone has low self-esteem today," Mello sing-songed.

"Mello."

"Matt."

When the redhead refused to leave him alone, Mello finally caved. "Fine," he said. "I suppose I love you...because of your name, I guess."

Matt furrowed his eyebrows. "My...name..."

"Yes." Mello nodded solemnly. "Here, I'll write it down, it's a little hard to explain." He scribbled something down in the back cover of his book, then tossed it to Matt.

Curious, Matt read Mello's hasty scrawls, dismissing the informality of it.

By the time he finished reading, Matt was bright red in the face. "Mello!" he said abashedly. "I hate you! That's so not true!" He threw the book back and fled.

Mello didn't mind. The gamer would forget about it within the timespan of five minutes. He caught the book with ease, and with a smirk, reread what he'd written:

_i love matt because_

_M - mine, and mine only_

_A - adorable as fuck_

_T - the only one_

_T - the bitch in this relationship  
_


	126. Misinterpretations

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****VI**. **Misinterpretations**

Matt was never good at being quiet; either his feet stomped too loud, he knocked into too many things, or he just picked the worst hiding spot ever. So when one afternoon in Wammy's House, whilst the clever little boy hid behind one of Near's old dice towers, he was amazed that Near and Mello hadn't noticed him yet.

He was proud of himself, oh yes. Deciding that everyone should know this, Matt moved to reveal himself to his best friend, only to stop dead when he saw Mello giggle at something that Near said.

Matt immediately shrunk back into his hiding place, peeking from the edge of the multi-colored tower, ears straining to hear the conversation. He could make out a few words here and there, but that was about it: "I...think...cute-"

And after that last word, Mello giggled again, nodding his approval.

Matt was miserable. Mello was obviously flirting with Near, meaning the gamer virtually had no chance with him...

Matt tried his best to sneak out unnoticed, but Mello saw him anyway. "Hey Matt," the blond began, though before he could say any more, Matt was gone.

"I presume he misinterpreted our actions," Near monotoned.

Mello bit his lip. "But I was finally going to tell him..."

Near nodded once in empathy. "I suppose you can always tell him another time. However," he paused to put the last puzzle piece into his puzzle, "I think that you should tell him that he misheard our conversation."

Mello nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "After all, we'd only been talking about how cute he was."

* * *

**For the first time in a while I looked at the review count for this story. Then I had to blink and rub my eyes a few times. o.o**


	127. Misassumptions

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****VII. Misassumptions**

"Matty, you'll never guess what I bought for us!" Mello practically sang upon entering the apartment that he and the gamer shared. Grinning almost maliciously, he swung a plastic bag onto the couch and waited for the other.

Matt appeared soon enough, looking like he'd just woken up. And with the sagging striped shirt, dorky boxers, and limp goggles around his neck, Mello believed it. "What?" Matt really just wanted to go back to sleep. But if this thing managed to put Mello in such a good mood, then he'd maybe stay for a bit.

Mello's grin only grew broader. "I found a new toy for us to play with," he said patiently, gesturing to the bag. "Go ahead."

Interested piqued, Matt reached over the couch and reached inside the plastic bag. He pulled out a black object, almost rectangluar, with a sphere on the- "Whoa!" the gamer exclaimed. "You got me the new PlayStation controller! Awesome!" The idea of going back to sleep flew out of his mind, and he found himself immediately immersed in the many new games he can get with this newly acquired controller...

"Oh, a controller?" Mello looked sheepish all of the sudden, turning pink in the cheeks cutely.

Matt tore himself out of his stupor long enough to give the blond a curious stare. "Yeah. What did you think it was?"

"Something...else."

Matt thought about what that could mean. Well, Mello was a pervert, maybe it had something to do with how the controller looked? Matt studied the black object in his hand, its long, sleek shape, the ball at the top of-

Realization hit him like Elmo riding a choo-choo train. Matt backpeddaled, only to end up sprawled on his butt. "Mello!" He gave a boyfriend a scowl from his place on the floor. "This controller is not, in any way, a sex toy! Bad! Bad!" He would have thrown said controller at the blond, but Mello was already on top of him.

"Well, we did that with the WiiMote," Mello said innocently. "What's the difference with this one?"

* * *

**Because I'm a pervert and I went to a GameStop today. =.=**


	128. Misdelivery

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****VIII. Misdelivery**

"Remember," Mello said to himself, "Matt's is dark blue, Near's is light blue. Matt is dark blue, Near is light blue." He chanted to himself as he walked up to Near's room. "Right, Near's light blue," he mumbled, holding up the two sealed Valentine's cards - or, at least only one of them was. Near's had been designed to contain profanity as well as 'I HATE YOU' in big letters.

It was childish. Not that Mello cared.

"All right, take this, you son of a-" Mello grumbled, about to put the light-colored card in the small 'mailbox'(Linda had insisted that everyone have one for Valentine's Day), when all of the sudden, he heard someone coming.

"Near, where did you say you put?" Linda called, stopping at the end of the hall to listen for the reply. "Right, in your room, under the bed! Be right back!"

Mello panicked so much that he dropped the cards. _I can't let her see me_, he thought, _or else she'll think I'm giving Near a Valentine and that I like him! _Hastily, he drew a random card, shoved it into the mailbox carelessly, and fled to the safety of his own room.

"That was close," he panted, leaning against the door. Mello didn't have time to rest very well, because Matt entered the room only two seconds after, and he looked angry.

"What the hell, Mello! You said you wanted to play hide-and-seek and then you leave me hiding in that thorn bush," Matt said angrily. "Now a handful of people think I'm an idiot for doing that, and there I was, just waiting for you to find me, and-"

"For you." Mello thrust out the blue envelope, blushing and looking down. Matt's card - Mello had spent a lot of time on it, especially on that declaration of love.

Matt's anger seemed to instantly died down. He accepted the light blue envelope and ripped it open, tugging out the Valentine that was hidden.

Mello kept quiet, cheeks burning, heart thumping in his ears; oh god, he was never going to live this down...

"...Oh." Matt exhaled loudly.

Mello glanced up shyly through his bangs.

"If that's what you think of me..." Matt shrugged.

"And?" Mello prompted softly. Matt can't just say that, especially not after he'd read the card! Mello _had_ put the words 'I LOVE YOU' in big red and yellow letters across the top. He was beginning to say more when he saw Matt taking out a bag and stuffing his games in.

"Matt?" Mello asked, puzzled. "What are you doing?" Was this his punishment? Was Matt going to leave him and tell everyone he was a queer?

"You said you hated me," Matt said, voice devoid of any emotion. "If you really do, then no point in staying in your room, right?" He gave a little smile, as if everything was totally fine.

"What? No I didn't!" Mello grabbed the card from his fingers wildly, reading what was inside. "N-no, this isn't your card..."

Matt arched an eyebrow. "You gave someone else a Valentine?"

"Yeah, you and Near," Mello said. "And if you have the hate card, then Near has-"

* * *

**To be continued in the next chapter...  
**

**Also, does anyone know whether or not Near makes a puppet version of Matt in the anime/manga?  
**


	129. Misfortune

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****IX. Misfortune**

Mello's eyes went wide. He interrupted himself mid-speech to shriek, "HOLY CRAP, NEAR!"

Matt winced, thinking, _Is it natural for his voice to go that high...? _as he watched the blond high-tail out of the room. With a weary sigh, Matt dropped the shirt he was in the middle of folding and followed.

Mello was the first to arrive at Near's room. First, he checked the mailbox outside the door, in case Near hadn't gotten the card yet. Unfortunately, the mailbox had been emptied. "Damn," Mello muttered to himself.

"I don't really get what's going on," Matt said, appearing around the corner, "but at least he doesn't hate me. Yay." He twiddled his fingers in the air sarcastically.

"Matt!" a certain chocoholic barked. "Get over here!"

Matt did.

"Now, open that door, go in, grab the card, and get back out," Mello ordered.

Matt frowned. "But why should _I_ do it?"

"Because this is all your fault!" Mello all but screeched.

Again, Matt sighed. Mello's reasoning was fucked up and Matt would never ever try to understand it. "Yes Mello," he said resignedly, and twisted the doorknob. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Near?" he called into the dark room. "Did you get a card from- Mmph!"

Okay, why, all of the sudden, was there a pale boy practically clinging to his front? And-

"Oh god," Matt groaned, struggling to hold the weight. He nearly doubled over when he felt himself being kissed. "Near!" he exclaimed, un-sticking the boy from him and flinging him back. "What was that for?"

Near blinked. "You're not Mello," he said.

"Really," Matt snapped.

"What was that?" Mello asked angrily, walking in. "Near, tell me that you did _not _just rape my Matt's mouth."

"But I did," Near said bluntly.

Mello's face colored red in frustration. "This. Is. Mine!" he growled, yanking Matt back protectively. The blond pouted like a petulant child. "Mine."

Near adjusted the collar of his pajamas, declaring, "I was going to experiment whether or not I like boys before I can answer your declaration of love."

"So you ambushed me?" Matt was still hysterical.

"I was planning for Mello to be in your place," Near said, almost thoughtfully.

Mello patted Matt's head comfortingly. "So, Near, do you like boys?"

There was a small pause before Near replied, "I don't know." He held up a card. "I believe this is yours," he said, expertly throwing it at Mello.

The blond caught it. "Let's go, Matt," he said haughtily, turning around and beginning to drag Matt back to their room.

_This year's Valentine's Day was really weird_, Matt thought. _First, to this day forth, I was apparently Mello's property. Second, a freaking little albino stole my second kiss. And third...I'm pretty sure said albino just winked at me..._

* * *

**I swear there was a part in the manga when I saw Near holding a puppet that resembled Matt. Complete with the gameboy, too. :P**


	130. Matt

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****X. ****Matt**

"So," Mello said casually, leaning, "why did you choose your name?"

The gamer in question shrugged, not missing a beat in his game. "I, uh, don't know... Why're you asking?"

"Oh, really, now?" Mello asked, slamming his fist down the table. "Remember that little incident yesterday?"

_Click, click, click. _"Uh sure- Wait, which one?"

"The one where you 'accidentally' grabbed my ass."

"I _told_ you, Linda pushed me and I bumped into you. I'm sorry if you were short enough so your butt was in height of my palm," Matt said sarcastically, still not looking up.

"After that, you see, I went curious," Mello went on, ignoring him.

Matt chose this moment to interrupt again. "Curious if you're into boys?"

Again, he was ignored. "And I went online and found this nifty little site called the Urban Dictionary."

"Really," Matt said boredly, pausing his game to reach over and pop another gummy worm into his mouth.

"Really," Mello repeated firmly. "After I found out the uses of this Urban Dictionary, I experimented around. Naturally, I used you first. I typed in your name in the search box and pressed 'search.' Surprisingly, your name has a definition." Here, Mello's lips curled up into an evil grin.

"Matt," he said, once again in a casual tone, "you are an eternal sex-god."

Matt, hearing those words, choked halfway down on his gummy worm and dropped his game. He coughed for several seconds as Mello stood there, looking proud. "W-what?" the redhead croaked, giving Mello an incredulous stare.

"You are a sex-god who's capable of indulging in sexual acts for long periods of time." Mello leaned over the desk, centimeters away from Matt's own face. "And apparently, you're well endowed." The blond's gaze trailed downwards.

Matt gulped.

"Can I see?" Mello whispered, touching a finger to Matt's chin.

"Uh..." Matt stared, and stared, and _stared. _When his brain finally cleared a little, he realized how tempting those lips looked.

So he leaned forward to catch them in a kiss, only to have Mello re-straighted at the last second. The older had a knowing smirk on his face.

"T-that was," Matt began nervously.

Mello cut him off by turning around and walking to the door. "Also, when you're with a Matt, they're supposed to make you feel like a princess." He paused to give the other a small, genuine smile. "Y'know," he waved a hand in the air dismissively before walking out, "just saying."

* * *

**Go to urbandictionary (dot) com and search 'matt.' Oh my, the results are entertaining indeed. xD**

**Next part...Mello's turn. What does the Urban Dictionary have to say about him? ;3  
**


	131. Mello

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XI. Mello**

"Oh, Melly-jelly~!" Matt yelled, bursting into the room. He smiled evilly, stalking towards the blond.

Mello, who was innocently perched on the windowsill, looked up. "Yeah?" Then, he added irately, "Don't call me that."

Matt only grinned wider, placing his hands on either side of the sill and leaning in, trapping the chocoholic in place. "So I checked out the Urban Dictionary this morning."

"Okay," Mello drawled, seeming uninterested. He took a bite out of his chocolate bar, raising an eyebrow.

Matt, who couldn't take it anymore, blurted, "Did you know that 'Mello' means a guy with a lisp?"

"A l-lisp...?" Mello said, confused.

"You're an RA who people stalk to the point of obsession!"

"What? Now you're just not making any sense."

"You're an annoying lazy eye!"

"Matt-"

"_Your name is short for 'mellophone!'_" At this point, Matt was yelling, pointing furiously at his companion.

Mello blinked once, twice. "Mellophone?" He chuckled. "Matt, you're not very good at this kind of thing, are you?"

Matt hung his head in defeat. "No," he said unhappily.

Mello took pity on the redhead's sad-puppy-face. "D'you wanna go take a bubble bath together?"

"Yeah."


	132. Misbehave

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XII. Misbehave**

Matt hadn't wanted him to.

The redhead hadn't meant to do it in the first place. The girl had simply knocked on the door, he'd answered, and she wanted to welcome them into the neighborhood with some cookies. Matt accepted them, thanked her, and turned, only to come face-to-face to the menacing creature that we know as Mello.

"Who was that?" the blond growled.

Matt raised an eyebrow. "The girl in the next apartment over." He held up the plate of cookies. "She made these for us as a welcome gift. Jesus, is there something wrong with that?"

"Yes!" Mello stepped forward, still looking pissed. "How dare you disobey my orders? I specifically told you not to open the door at all! My god, what if someone from the Mafia came, huh? If you say them outside with a gun, would you think that they want to give the gun to you and let them in? Matt!" He shoved the other backwards in irritation.

The plate of cookies slipped from Matt's hand. It fell and didn't break, but the cookies were no more than crumbs...

Matt sniffled and said a silent prayer for the sweets.

"Mail," Mello snarled. "Are you listening to me?"

"I'm all ears, Mels."

"Good. Now get the fuck in the bedroom. I should have done this a long time ago."

"Er... No thanks- Ow! Ow! My hair!"

"Bedroom. Now."

"Okay, okay! Jeez!"

Matt really did try to fight him-or, sort of. Nonetheless, when the blond forced himself upon the gamer Matt was no match. He did what he did, then sat up later in satisfaction.

"I like it," Mello said with a broad grin.

Matt muttered profanity under his breath, sitting up. "Of course you do," he said. "You did this out of boredom."

"And because I wanted to mark my property. Don't forget that."

"Oh, how could I _ever _forget?" Matt said sarcastically. He pulled his shirt to re-inspect the damage, and winced at the black print that stared right back at him: _'Mello's bitch. DO NOT TOUCH.'_

"I hate you," Matt sniffled, pouting.

Mello just ruffled his hair and kept smiling. "Love you too."

* * *

**I couldn't find the right word for the bubble bath chapter, and by the time I did, I already had this written... Bubble chappie next, yes? *nod***


	133. Overboard

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XIII. Overboard**

"Mello!" Matt whined. "Stop it, the soap's getting in my eyes!" The nine-year-old frowned, trying to shield his unprotected eyes. "Why did you have to take my goggles?"

Mello smiled, realizing how endearing the redhead could be, even if he was complaining. "It wouldn't have been fair," he replied, trying to get more bubbles into his hands. "It was your idea to have a bubble bath, so in return, I get to blind you whenever I want without your being protected by goggles."

"Not fair," Matt repeated, still frowning petulantly. "Besides, you took away most of the bubbles!"

"The bubble soap is right there." Mello raised a hand from the water to point at the bottle on a shelf.

"But then I have to get up to get it," Matt said.

"If you truly loved bubbles, you'd do it."

Matt bit his lip. "A-all right." Then he stood, in all of his naked glory, grabbed the bottle, and practically slammed his arse back down into the tub. The water swished around in the tub, some escaping and dropping onto the tiled floor of the bathroom.

Mello didn't even try to stifle his grin. "Good," he said.

Matt wasn't sure whether he meant the bubble soap or the redhead's...that. Matt shuddered; surely his _very straight _best friend wouldn't be talking about that. It was Matt's job to be gay and have a crush on Mello, not the other way around...even if that sounded rather nice.

"Now open the top and pour it into the tub," Mello instructed.

Matt obeyed while Mello still grinned like a maniac.

"Good boy," the blond purred as Matt put away the bottle. "Now help me get the bubbles up."

"Uh huh." Matt acqueisced like a good puppy. Soon, the tub was overflowing with bubbles, and the two boys were up to their necks in it.

"See? This is much better!" Mello said happily, already beginning to gather his arsenal.

Matt gulped. "Don't you think I put a little bit too much?"

"Of course not." Mello finally had as much bubbles as his arms could hold. He sat up on his knees and shuffled towards Matt, arms raising above his head and all set to deliver the blow. He was just about to whack the gamer in the face with the bubbles when he saw his face...

Matt squeezed his eyes shut and drew his knees in to his chest, tightly gripping them in place with his arms. He buried his mouth into his knees as to not get any soap in there.

Mello took pity on him. The older of the two brought the bubbles down onto red hair and shaped them into a cone.

"Huh...?" Matt slowly blinked his eyes open. He stared up at Mello wonderingly.

Mello smiled. "See? You have a hat." He patted the redhead's cheek.

Matt touched Mello's hand, and the words tumbled out of his mouth, "I like you."

"I know," Mello said calmly; _Finally, he admits it, _he thought.

"No, like, I _really _like you," Matt clarified.

"I know."

"I don't think you get it, Mels. I. Love. You."

Mello smiled. "I know."

* * *

**Mello refused to say it back. XP**


	134. Noodles

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XIV. Noodles**

"But Mels," Matt persisted, "I worked really hard on it. Plus, the sauce is actually red instead of green from last time." He added, "Please, please, please."

"I'm reading," Mello snapped. "Besides, how can I be sure that you aren't trying to poison me?"

Matt pouted, bouncing a little on the bed. "I wouldn't! I just want you to try the noodles that I made, jeez."

"Pasta," Mello corrected, flipping a page of his magazine.

"You're such a PMS-ing girl," Matt mumbled dejectedly, rising from the bed.

Mello's eyes flashed. "Mail," he said slowly, "you have about three seconds to take that back before I rip off _your _noodle."

Matt cocked his head to the side. "My noodle...?" It took a few moments for the threat to make sense. Once it had, Matt's eyes bulged. "I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "Mello is not a PMS-ing girl. He is a wonderful, badass, sexy blond that I really, really love." Matt nodded solemnly. "Who also has _intriguing_ substitutes for the word penis," he whispered under his breath.

"Matt," Mello said warningly, an indication that he had heard what the gamer said.

"I'm sorry," Matt said automatically, and scrambled off to get more chocolate to appease the mafia boss. "Well," he grumbled to himself as he ransacked their cupboards, "at least I'm not the one with the creative synonyms."

Because, really..._noodle?_


	135. Sharpener

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XV. Sharpener**

"The stupid sharpener won't work!" Matt whined, repeatedly jamming the pencil into and out the device. "Mel-lo! Help me!"

Mello looked up boredly from his homework. "Just shove it in," he said calmly, "twist it around a few times, then take it back out." He leaned back to a more comfortable position, resuming his homework.

On the other side of the room, Matt blinked. He didn't bother to comment...

* * *

**All right, um, reason for inactivity towards everything except Looseleaf: I'm writing something. And this time, I thought it'd be a nice change to actually write it all out first, so I'm finishing writing it before posting it. And maybe actually get a beta on the way. =.=  
**


	136. Therapy

**What if Light never picked up the Death Note? What if Matt and Mello grew up together and didn't have to die? What if...they were just any other normal gay couple? 8D

* * *

**

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XVI. Therapy**

"There, that wasn't so bad," Mello breathed, flexing and unflexing his arms on the steering wheel. He took another deep breath before beginning to reverse the Camaro out of the therapist's office's parking lot.

Matt mumbled something incoherent in reply, childishly pouting and turning to look out the window.

"Matt?" Mello glanced to the side. "Matty?" His hand found Matt's gloved one and he squeezed once. "You okay?"

"No," was the short, snippy reply.

Mello sighed. "Mail," he began, "I know that we did something that we'd never thought in a hundred years we'd actually _do_, but it's not going to help if you're going to act like a child."

"And it doesn't help that you're acting like my mom," Matt put in, still not looking at the blond.

"Matt." Here, Mello veered the car off to the side of the road and turned off the ignition. He turned in his seat, the leather creaking, and looked at Matt. "Tell me what's wrong?"

Matt tried to keep himself busy by counting how many bees flew past. "We don't need to go to couples therapy," he murmured. "People with relationship problems do that. _We _don't have problems. Our affair consists of me slacking off all day while you do practically everything else. Tell that to anyone, and they'd say that it's unhealthy. But you know what? Fuck them. I'm just fine with the way we are." His cheek's turned a slight hue of pink in mortification of his little speech.

"But we're fighting a lot," Mello said quietly.

"Because I won't haul my lazy ass up and go get the groceries." Matt finally twisted around to look at him. "Face it, Mels, we don't have any serious arguments. Most of them are pretty...immature."

Mello leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly. "We just wasted one hundred dollar's," he breathed. "This is your fault, Matt."

"What!"

"You let me do it; therefore making you guilty."

"It's not like I'm going to be there to restrain you your whole life."

Mello arched an eyebrow. "Are you implying that there's a possibility that we may break up?"

"No!" Matt said quickly. "I mean, god, I wouldn't even dream of it..."

"Hell yeah," Mello said grumpily.

"...Besides, I already had our dream house planned out..."

"Dream house?"

"...And I already bought our engagement rings..."

"Engage- What?" Mello choked, sitting up abruptly and staring at Matt with wild eyes.

Matt gave a half-hearted frown. "What? Are you really surprised?" But he was blushing too. "I mean, we copulate enough times in a day to produce over a hundred babies-if you were a woman, of course."

Mello smacked him. "A woman!" he said indignantly.

Matt surprised him by suddenly leaning forward and catching his lips in a kiss. It lasted for five seconds, Matt pulling away first. He leaned his forehead against his counterpart's, and stared into bright cerulean eyes. "Shut up and say yes already."


	137. Ride

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XVII. Ride**

"Go faster!" Matt squealed. "Faster!" He squirmed in Mello's lap, eyes sparkling excitedly behind his goggles, hand frantically pointing down the aisle. "C'mon, Mello!"

Underneath him, Mello rolled his eyes and stepped on the pedal just a little bit more. The motorized shopping cart lurched forward, though not by much. "Remind me whose idea it was to sneak into Wal-Mart in the middle of the night and ride around the store in one of these," he grumbled.

"Yours," Matt reminded him. "Besides, it's my birthday! Don't be a buzzkill." The soon-to-be sixteen-year-old looked around thoughtfully, then grinned. "Over there!" he crowed. "Let's run into that tower of paper towels!"

Mello sighed, but it _was_ Matt's birthday... "All right," he whispered, switching tones. He smiled against Matt's neck. "Hang on." He shoved his foot down on the pedal and the shopping cart for the elderly picked up speed. It wasn't going that fast, but they had enough force to run into the pile of paper towels, and also into the shelf behind it. The shopping cart hit the surface with a loud crash, and Matt was knocked off balance and thrown off Mello's lap. He landed in a pile of while toiletry.

"Matt? Matt?" Mello jumped in the rather large pile, biting back a smile. "Matty! Don't die on me!"

"Oh, Mello, save me!" Matt cried dramatically, waving his hands around.

Mello 'heroically dragged him to safety,' where then the blond 'gave him CPR,' or, in other words, started to make out with him.

"Ah," Matt sighed contentedly, snuggling into Mello's side a few minutes later. "Best birthday ever."

Mello smiled, affectionately ruffling his boyfriend's hair. "It better be." He added, "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

**I got this idea when we went to Toys 'R' Us earlier today, and an old lady on a motorized shopping cart almost ran into me. Psh, elderly these days. *shakes head***


	138. Gravitation

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XVIII. Gravitation**

When Mello came into his and Matt's room, he certainly was _not_ expecting the redhead to be running around dressed in a bunny suit, with a small stuffed bunny in tow, waving in the air as Matt threw it around.

"Um..." Mello said, puzzled.

Matt stopped in his tracks and turned around, giving Mello a wide, and albeit creepy, smile. "Melly-jelly!" he cooed, latching himself to the blond's arm. "Sparkly, sparkly! Look at my sparkly, Melly!" He held up his stuffed bunny proudly.

"That's great," Mello said, still unsure of how to react to this..._phase._

Matt nodded, pink bunny ears flopping around. "Kumagoro says that Melly is sparkly too." He made the bunny nod as if to prove it.

"Ah." Mello nodded back in understanding. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna just go-"

"No!" Matt roared instantly. In a flash, 'Kumagoro' was holding a tiny gun in its stuffed paws and pointing it at Mello. "Melly stay! Kuma says so!"

Mello didn't necessarily panic. Matt wouldn't shoot him. He tried to imagine the ever-so-loyal redhead firing a gun, and failed to. But Mello decided to play along. "All right," he said calmly, putting his hands up in surrender.

Matt put away the tiny gun. "Bad Kuma!" he scolded the bunny. "No guns!" He turned back to Mello with a toothy grin. "Now we must make sparkly pictures! Sparkly, sparkly, hahahahahaaaaa!" The gamer bounded around the room like an Energizer bunny on crack, shaking Kumagoro around and making it act like a miniature Energizer bunny on crack.

"I'll go get the crayons," Mello offered nicely.

Matt beamed. "Really? You'll really, really, really? Thanks, Melly!" He sneaked a kiss on the cheek before retreating under the bed, singing, "Drawing paper, looking for drawing paper, 'cuz Melly and I are going to make pretty sparkly pictures!"

Definitely disturbed, Mello exited the room. "Okay, what the fuck was that?" he asked himself.

"Matt is cosplaying Ryuichi from the anime called Gravitation," Near's voice said, and Mello finally noticed the albino sitting beside the door, playing with his robot. "Mello should really get into Matt's hobbies once in a while."

Mello was too shocked to shoot something back. Near had a point. Matt supported him in every way, yet...

Guilt settled in the pit of Mello's stomach. He began to make his way to the library to research 'Gravitation,' intending to know more so he could play along better with Matt. It was the least he could do.

Half an hour later, Mello sat staring blankly at the Wikipedia page in front of him. "Wait a minute," he said in a hollow tone, "does this mean Near watches yaoi anime...?"

* * *

**Gravitation- A yaoi anime I recently got into. It's hilarious. To, unfortunately, put into the words of Demi Lovato's obnoxious character on _So Random_, "Check it ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuttttttt!"**


	139. Abomination

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XIX. Abomination**

"I hate you!" Matt cried from his place on the floor. "You- you...abomination!"

Mello snorted. "That would make you the abomination's bitch," he said thoughtfully.

Matt turned pink, but plowed on, "Butthole!"

"Barbie."

"Buttcrack!"

"Ken."

"Buttface!"

"Barney."

"Butt...cheeks!" By this point, Matt was running out of insults that began with 'butt,' but he had one more up his sleeve, and it was going to be a good one...

"Teletubbies," Mello countered.

"Why are you saying those things?" Matt said, exasperated. He threw his arms into the air dramatically. "You're such a...toilet seat!"

Mello froze.

Matt grinned triumphantly.

Then Mello burst into hysterics, doubling over with laughter. "Oh- oh my god!" he got out between guffaws. "Toilet seat! Ha! Ahahaha!" He was literally rolling on the floor laughing, pounding his fist agains the poor carpet.

Matt just stood there, looking crestfallen. His eyes watered. "S-stop laughing!" he tried to say without stuttering, but failing. "It's not funny!"

"Yes it is!" Mello howled, unrelenting of his laughter.

So Matt sniffled and waited for the blond to calm down. When he finally was able to don a straight face, Matt mumbled, "I don't like it when you laugh at me."

Mello smiled, getting up on his feet and ruffling the other's hair. "How do you think I felt when I was called a surface on which butts are sat on? Besides, it was funny. You looked about to shit yourself in frustration."

Matt sighed, finding that there way that he'd get his dignity back now. "Can we just," he broke off with another sigh. "What were we fighting about again?"

"I broke your Ken doll," Mello reminded him, gesturing to the doll on the floor. Its limbs were scattered around, Ken's ever-so pretty face smashed in from Mello rolling over it.

"Oh yeah," Matt said, sniffing sadly. "He was special. Poor Ken."

"Special?" Mello asked in disbelief. "Really, now?"

Matt nodded. "Yep." His shoulders slumped in disappointment. "You see, I'd been planning to dress him up as me and make him copulate with a blond, leather-wearing Barbie."

* * *

**All right, something important recently happened in rl, and it's going to cause me to be absent for a few days, so expect Looseleaf to be update-less until around Tuesday? D:**


	140. Sugar Cube

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XX. Sugar Cube  
**

"This," Matt declared, holding up his hand, revealing the sweet in the middle of his palm, "is a sugar cube."

"Yes," Mello said boredly.

"Are you paying attention?" Matt asked, itching to perform his magic trick.

Mello nodded, then yawned. "Yes Matt."

Matt frowned. "You're not!" he said accusingly. "Jesus, Mel, all I ask is you pay attention this once. After that, we can go back to me being your bitc- erm, I meant, loyal follower."

Mello sighed, blowing the bangs out of his eyes. "No really, I'm all ears," he said in a tone that said otherwise.

Taking a few seconds to look at Mello in distrust, Matt turned back to his sugar cube. He smiled. "Because if you're not paying attention, I'm gonna shove this sugar cube up your ass."

Mello nearly doubled over at the threat-not because of its absurdity, but because it was _Matt _who'd dared threaten him in the first place. He blinked, composing himself. "And how do you plan on doing that? You're never going to be able to pin me down in the first place."

Matt seemed to be lost in thought. "But you know, I wouldn't really hurt you," he mumbled. "I'd do it nicely. Like, give the sugar cube for you to eat and just silently hope that it tastes bitter." The redhead nodded.

Mello rolled his eyes; he'd been fully expecting Matt to take back the threat. Yet, the blond had been hoping that he might fight back... "Good plan. You can feed me that sugar cube now, Matty." He opened his mouth expectantly.

"Uh huh." Matt slid the cube into his mouth.

Mello let the cube melt and then swallowed it, relishing the sweetness. "Do you wanna go get me some chocolate now?" he asked the gamer.

Matt nodded dutifully. "Yep." And with that, he trotted off.

Once gone from sight, Mello let a thoughtful face show. "He's too passive," he muttered to himself. "I don't want him to become a robot..." He lolled his head back slowly and stared at the ceiling. "I've got to get a rise from him," he said decisively. "Maybe do something so big of a deal that he'll throw a punch." He grinned. "So, what makes Matty tick...?"

* * *

**TBC, because it's only a little while 'til Glee. X3**


	141. Tick

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXI. Tick**

Mello felt like he was about to crazy. Moaning, he slammed his head into the plaster wall, ignoring the pain and the loud bang that came with it. _That's ten brain cells lost..._ Bang! _Twenty... _Bang! _Thirty..._

_Isn't Matt supposed to be the one going crazy? _he thought woefully, sagging weakly against the wall. He'd tried everything, from the most clever thing(replacing Matt's games with cardboard cutouts of them) to the most simplest thing(spitting in the gamer's energy drink), yet Matt never once raised his voice.

Mello was beginning to think that nothing _could _make Matt tick; therefore, Matt was magical.

Livid and not in the very best condition, Mello flopped weakly to the floor just as Matt entered the room. The redhead cocked his head, fixing a curious stare at the blond. "Mels?"

"Matt." Mello sat up. "I give up, 'kay, Matty?" He opened his arms out wide, and Matt hesitantly hugged him. "Just tell me what would annoy you already."

Matt chuckled. "Why would you want to know?"

"Because!" Mello looked him in the eyes. "I stole your games, took away your pillows, and I even replaced your goggles with pink ones!"

Matt made a face. "You did that?" he asked sourly.

Eager to see a reaction, Mello nodded. "Yep!" he chirped.

Shaking his head, Matt said, "Mel, I can't get mad."

"Why not?" Mello demanded.

"Because it's you." Matt pushed blond bangs away from Mello's eyes and leaned in close. "I can't get mad at you."

"That makes it even more worse!" Mello cried dramatically. "I don't want to turn you into a robot!"

Matt shrugged. "Well, why not? I can be, like, a robotic maid or something."

Mello blushed and chose to settle into his lap until he was comfortable.

"My point is," Matt continued, "I can't get mad at you. Get it? I love you."

"That last part doesn't pertain to the subject."

"I don't care. Say it back anyway?"

A sigh. "Love you too."

The couple indulged themselves into some cuddling for a few minutes, until Matt said, "Hey Mello?"

"Yeah?"

"...You really want me to be your maid, don't you." It was more of a statement than a question. Matt sounded smug.

"N-no!" Mello denied. He covered his face with his hands. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me."

"So you do!"

"I don't!"

"Do so!"

"For the last time, I do not!" Mello said with a sense of finality. "Matt, in all seriousness, I-"

"Shut up," Matt interrupted, quickly kissing him, "and let me get into that maid's costume already."


	142. Paranoia

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXII. Paranoia  
**

Matt was painfully aware of Mello's paranoia. He'd learned to get used to it, to the three locks on their doors and the big padlocks on their drawer, where Mello hid his chocolate.

However, it became the last straw for Matt when Mello burned all pictures of them, leaving the redhead nothing to remember his face by. Then the bastard left Wammy's.

Four years later, Matt heard that Near had gotten a hold of one of Mello's pictures.

For the first time, Matt resented Mello for not being paranoid enough.


	143. Theatrics

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXIII. Theatrics  
**

"_NOOOO!_" Matt cried in anguish, falling upon his knees to the floor. The game console tumbled out of his hands.

"Oh dear god, what now?" Mello asked wearily, walking into the living room.

"I-" Matt sniffled, "I lost the race! To freaking Yoshi!" After that, he was dissolved to tears. "Oh, _woe is me!_"

There was a brief silence. Gulping, Matt looked up. Did he really just say that out loud...?

"Great," Mello said sarcastically. "Now not only are you a gaming nerd, but apparently and theater nerd as well." He shook his head disdainfully.

Matt just stayed on the floor with an expression of sadness.

"Oh, and Mattie dear," Mello called.

"Yeah?" Matt looked up.

"Save the theatrics for when we're in bed."

* * *

**Before I keep forgetting, thank you for the 1,000 reviews. C: **


	144. Manual

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXIV. Manual**

"Hmph, worst part of Matt's birthday..." Mello grumbled to himself as he tried not to drown in a mass of wires and cardboard. "Right, so the manual says to put this thing into...that thing." Experimentally, he eased in a yellow wire into it's designated spot. It went in about two centimeters, then wouldn't go further.

Mello threw the wire over his shoulder tiredly, adding it to the growing pile of wires-that-would-not-fit-in-the-green-slot.

He picked up the last green wire and prayed to God that this was the right one. "Should have just bought him a laptop," Mello mumbled to himself. "Or gotten that maintenance guy to set up the TV." He jammed the green wire in, fulling expecting it not to work.

But to his surprise, it did.

"Yes!" Mello whooped, relief washing over him. "Now all I have to do is clean up and-"

**BOOM!**

xxx

"M-matt?" Mello got out, eyes fluttering open. "Where am I?"

The redhead snapped to attention. "Thank God you're awake." He took his hand and stroked it comfortingly. "Well, Mels, I came home with that pack of cigs and chocolates that you told me to buy. When I walked in the door, the fire alarm was going off and there was a bit of a fire in the middle of the living room. I found you underneath a TV, which, by the way, I don't remember owning..."

"B-birthday present," Mello croaked. "Tried to se-set it u-up. Went boom i-instead." His head lolled back for a while and he stared dazedly up at the white roof of the car.

"Oh man." Matt suppressed a chuckle, because he didn't think that it'd be appropriate. "You're in an ambulance and you're being driven to the hospital."

Mello was too tired to fight it. "Stupid TV manual," he muttered, before he went unconscious.

"TV manual?" Matt asked, pulling out a book. He'd found it clutched in Mello's hands when he was carrying him out of the burned apartment. The cover was singed badly, but he could still make out the words. "Mello? This is your Betty Crocker cookbook."


	145. Smile

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXV. Smile**

"Matt?"

"Hn?"

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're staring at me weirdly. Stop it. It's creeping me out."

"I'm not staring at you weirdly. I'm just...staring."

"Uh huh. Sure."

"Well, it's just... You need to smile more often, okay?"

"Um, why are you concerned with what facial expressions I wear?"

"Because! If you frown like that all the time, you'll get wrinkles. And as much as I love you, Mels, I don't want to end up with someone wrinkly."

"That's basically saying you're only putting up with me because of my looks."

"Shut up. Just smile more, 'kay?"

"Hm, does this mean that Matty cares about me?"

"No! Like I said, I simply don't want to you to end up wrinkly."

"Actually, you said that you didn't want to end up with someone wrinkly. Oh, and I think I heard a declaration of love."

"No you didn't."

"Maybe I did."

"But you didn't. Maybe something's wrong with your ears now, too."

"I- Wait a minute. What is _that _s'posed to mean?"

"It means something that least offends you. Just _please, _Mel, don't end up wrinkly."

"Hey, surprisingly, you sound worried."

"Mel..."

"All right, all right. I won't end up wrinkly."

"Thank you."

"...Hey Matt?"

"Yeah?"

"You _do_ care about me, huh?"

"Stop! I hate it when you use that teasing voice!"

"Hm, so Matty does care... Although, how much, I wonder?"

"Blah blah blah, _I'm not listening!_ Mello is a big-"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he cared a lot."

"-mean jerk who-"

"On the other hand, if he doesn't give too much of a damn..."

"-is mean to his best friend and likes to torture and kick puppies-"

"...then that would be too bad..."

"-and I hate him because-"

"...because I think I love him back."

"-Wh-what? I don't love you!"

"Matt. Who do you think you're fooling?"

Matt's cheeks turned red in frustration. "I-" he began hotly, then cut himself off with a sigh. "Oh, who am I kidding?"

Mello smirked. "Exactly. Now get over here and show me exactly how much you care about me."


	146. Fascination

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXVI. Fascination**

Matt loved to watch Mello do his hair in the mornings. Mello wouldn't mind and Matt had nothing better to do. Besides, it was...fascinating.

Matt gazed in apt attention, watching Mello slide the comb through golden locks. Finally, the timid redhead couldn't take it anymore. "M-Mello..." he said quietly.

Pausing mid-comb, Mello looked at him from the mirror. "Yeah?" he said.

"Can I, um... Can I..." Matt gulped._ Since when did my throat start feeling like sandpaper?_ he thought.

Mello was beginning to put away his supplies, including the pretty comb.

Eight-year-old Matt shouted, "Wait!" He blushed against his own will. "Um, Mels..." He took a deep breath; it was now or never! "Can I brush your hair?"

At that moment, Mello's face split into a smile. He looked happy to hand Matt his comb. "Sure, why not?" He beamed.

Matt let out a breath of relief. Had it really been that easy? He returned the smile and accepted the comb. Once Mello was sitting again on the stool, the redhead busied himself with carefully combing the fantastic hair that was Mello's. The comb was cool in his hands, and he noticed with a brief chuckle that there was a rhinestone on the end of it. _Pretty_, thought Matt, who had a thing for sparkly stuff.

"I think I'm in heaven," he murmured, the words slipping past his tongue subconsciously.

Mello looked up at him through the mirror in wonder. "What was that, Matty?" he inquired, a smile hinting at his lips.

"I said that I think I'm in heaven," Matt replied, finding it redundant to lie.

"Oh. Okay." Mello let him resume his combing, barely hiding the happy grin behind his hand.

Matt let him think what he wanted. After all, he'd only been talking about the comb.

* * *

**This was intended to go up yesterday, but it was Glee night, and (SPOILER) Karofsky kissed Kurt and I was scarred for the rest of the night. Oh, and male version of Teenage Dream FTW! XD**


	147. Without You

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXVII. Without You  
**

Mello had never really told Matt how important the redhead was to him, so one day he decided, _Well, why not now?_

"Matt," Mello began loudly, "my life would seriously suck without you."

Beside him, the gamer looked up from his PSP and merely grinned. "Specify what it sucks, Mel," he said cheekily.

Mello giggled and playfully hit his perverted boyfriend's arm.


	148. Dark

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXVIII. Dark**

"Mello!" Matt yelped. "What are you doing?"

Mello frowned. "I'm trying to find your face while I have this blindfold on, duh."

Matt gulped. "Uh huh," he said uncertainly. He wanted to inch away from Mello's grip, but he'd been successfully trapped against the wall and Mello.

"Why?" Based on Mello's tone, Matt could imagine the questioning look in the blond's eyes. "Wait, Matt?" Mello asked suddenly.

"Yeah?" Matt squeaked.

"What exactly am I touching?"

"Uh... My crotch."

* * *

**Pfft. XD Anyways, does anyone else have the new Call of Duty? *is an avid gamer* I was obsessively playing it along with Resident Evil(and still am) so I decided to make this one blunt so I could move on to putting up my new story. :P**


	149. Tree Frog

**Looseleaf**

**CXX****XXIX. Tree Frog**

When Mello first told Matt they could be friends, Matt smiled like a tree frog. Y'know, one of those creepy little things that hop around in some forest. Yeah.

When Mello first played a video game with Matt, the redhead smiled like a tree frog. It was a little- Oh, heck, it was plenty of weird, but Mello kept his mouth shut, since he was so nice.

When Mello first took Matt out for ice cream - which was so not a date, by the way - Matt smiled like a tree frog. It was still a little weird seeing him smile so much when he never did for the other orphans, but Mello figured that he must have been special to be smiled at by Matt, so he smiled back and went with it.

When Mello first confessed - even though he'd been freaking sure that Matt would do it first - Matt smiled like a tree frog. And Mello shut up, because that was the smile he'd fallen in love with.

When Mello first planted his kiss on top of Matt's, Matt smiled into the kiss and Mello was _sure _that it was that same smile. But he'd fallen in love with that smile, thank very much, so he'd like you to stop making fun of Matt now.

Besides...it was freakin' adorable.


	150. Dog

**Looseleaf**

**CL****. Dog**

It was hard to tear his eyes away from the advertisement. The new Call of Duty...

Matt almost whimpered. Freaking _whimpered._

"You know," he said, trying to sound peaceful, folding his arms behind his head and looking up at the ceiling. "I think I'm starting to accept the fact that I'm your dog." It was, of course, directed at Mello in hopes that the blond would be nice and buy him the game.

Mello was busy clicking away at something on his laptop. He looked up in mild interest upon hearing Matt's words. "Really?" he asked.

Matt nodded in reply. "Really," he confirmed.

Smirking, Mello abandoned his laptop and crawled up beside his boyfriend on the couch. "What makes you finally accept it?"

Matt blushed and tried to scoot away. "Well," he said, "I really like you. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth."

"Uh huh," Mello prompted, smiling widely.

"And you smell strongly like chocolate, so if I ever get lost, I'll just sniff my way back," Matt said, giggling at his own response.

"Is that really all?" Mello bit his lip in disappointment.

Matt didn't take notice, continuing on, "Your hair's really bright and yellow too, so I'll just look for that if sniffing doesn't work."

Mello stood up, pouting slightly. He'd been expecting a love confession, but _no,_ his boyfriend just _had _to be the clueless git he usually was. Oh well; he wasn't going to buy him the game anyway. "Nice try," he said dryly. "Your plans to try and get me to get you that new game won't work." Matt's face fell. Mello suppressed a chuckle. "Besides, Matty," he said sweetly, "dogs are color blind."


	151. Umbrella

**Looseleaf**

**CLI. Umbrella**

Matt was standing outside, arms stretched out, and feeling utterly_ fantastic_ when a certain blond mafia boss toting an umbrella suddenly hugged him from behind.

"Mello?" Matt asked uncertainly, though he grinned.

"Yeah?" Mello said against his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"Hugging you."

"I meant, what are you doing with an umbrella?" Matt amended.

Mello turned him around to face him, giving a smile. "Silly Matt, it's so we don't get wet," he said sweetly.

Matt chuckled. "Mels, I know you're trying hard to be a sweetheart and all," he began, "but an umbrella isn't really appropriate for this situation."

Mello looked at him sourly. "And why not?" he demanded.

"Because it's not raining, it's _snowing_, dumbass."

* * *

**In celebration of my new profile picture. :D**


	152. Mattress

**Looseleaf**

**CLII. Mattress**

Mello hated perky, overly energetic people. Especially children, even though the fifteen-year-old had been one, himself. That was why on the morning of March 24th, he found himself feeling like kicking a puppy as he faced a particular brown-haired boy.

"Hi!" the younger kid said happily - Mello remembered his name to be something like Peanut.

"Hey," Mello paused, "Peanut. Right?"

"I'm not Peanut!" The kid just kept standing there, smiling like an idiot.

Mello repressed the urge to bare his teeth at him. "Well?" he prompted. "What's your name then?"

"It's my birthday today!" Not-Peanut chirped, abruptly changing the subject.

"Cool," Mello said boredly.

"And for my birthday, I wanted to change my name..." Not-Peanut paused for dramatic effect. "...to Mattress!" he finished with a flourish.

"Mattress," Mello echoed, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You know, that reminds me of something."

Not-Peanut/Mattress blinked up at him. "What's that?" he asked.

"There's this kid named Matt," Mello said informatively. "When we're legal, I'm going to pound him into the mattress." He couldn't hold back the dark chuckle that followed.

Not-Peanut/Mattress was still smiling vacantly. "Oh...that's nice," he said. Confusion was evident in his voice, but that didn't deter him from maintaining a smile. "D'you mean, like, pound him with a balloon hammer?" he inquired curiously. "You know, the ones that squeak!"

Mello laughed. "Sure, kid." _Ah, bless children and their innocence..._


	153. Beep

**Looseleaf**

**CLIII. Beep **

Matt wasn't really a morning person.

"Ow, Mello, get _off _me, my ass still hurts from last night, and my phone's ringing-"

Yeah. He really wasn't a morning person.

Mello, who'd previously made himself comfortable snuggling on top of Matt's chest("Like a damn _cat,_" Matt complained), pouted as he was pushed aside. It didn't last long, though; he smiled as soon as Matt stretched over to their bedside table deliciously. Both of them wearing wearing nothing but boxers-not that Mello was complaining.

The persistent beeping of Matt's phone still rang shrilly through the air. "Who's calling you?" Mello said suspiciously. "And that ringtone _sucks_, just so you know."

"It's not a ringtone." At this point, Matt had fallen off of the bed, looking for the device. "It's my alarm. I set it to go off this morning..."

"Why?" Mello said exasperatedly, wanting nothing more than to get back to snuggling. When no response came from his boyfriend, the blond sighed and rolled onto his back. Immediately, he jolted upwards, feeling something cold digging into his butt.

"Hey Matt," he said nervously, "I think I found your phone." _God knows how it got there, but it's there..._

Matt poked his head up from under the bed. "Really?"

And since Mello could never be Mello without being perverted at times, the chocolate addict said, "It has somehow ended up in my boxers and is currently digging into my ass."

"Well, aren't you going to give it to me?" Matt said.

Mello licked his lips, smiling deviously. "Why don't you come get it?"


	154. Pervert

**Looseleaf**

**CLIV. Pervert**

"Mello?" Matt called out uncertainly from the bathroom. "Do you think that this is...natural?"

The blond in subject looked up from his books. "Depends on what it is," he said, munching busily on a chocolate bar.

There was a hesitant pause before Matt said, "There's white stuff on my boxers."

Everything came to a halting screech. Mello's head snapped up, eyes nearly as wide as dinner plates, staring dubiously at the closed door of the bathroom. "And what do you suppose it is?" he choked out.

"I don't know," came the reply. "It's really sticky, though."

At those words, Mello ran out of the room, holding his face in fear of an oncoming nosebleed.

Wondering why everything was so silent, Matt opened the door and looked into their rooms. Where was Mello? "Hey Mels?" he called, checking under their bed to make sure that his best friend wasn't hiding from him. "It's just glue from when I was working on my project last night," he tried. "Did you think it was frosting or something...? 'cause you know I always clean up before giving you a hug." Matt sighed. Where had his OCD friend run to, this time?

"Must control urges...must control urges..." Mello rocked himself back and forth. He was curled up in the closet, trying his best not to think of specific thoughts after Matt- after he had- "It was just glue," Mello told himself. "Just glue. Not anything else. Glue."

Matt really needed to stop doing his projects in his boxers.


	155. Distracted

**Looseleaf**

**CLV. Distracted**

"Mello! We seriously need to talk!"

"Oh, hey Matt- Whoa."

"Okay, so you know how you like to sleep naked? I don't have a problem with that, but recently, something's changed!"

"Um..."

"I know you're my best friend and all. I'm glad for that."

"Well, this is..."

"But I'm fourteen now, and I've developed...feelings. Especially towards you."

"Uh..."

"Don't give me that look! I'm not finished yet!"

"Okay..."

"All right, as I was saying, I've developed feelings. And lately, it's gotten really hard to control them."

"Matt..."

"You see, I think I... I think I-"

"Matt!"

"What? Stop interrupting! I'm trying to tell you that I like you, okay! I like you, more than as a friend!"

"...Oh..."

"I think I'm...gay for you."

Matt hid his beet red face with a pillow, trying not to have a panic attack. He peeked up slightly. "Well?" he asked, voice muffled. "What's... What do you think?"

Mello managed to tear his eyes away from the redhead's body and give him a weird look. "Matty, I know this was quite difficult for you," he said patiently. "I've known that you're gay for a while now. And I like you too."

"Really?" Matt said happily. "Wait, what's that supposed to-"

"But I just have one issue with this," Mello said gravely. He gestured at Matt. "Was the rainbow-themed outfit _really _necessary?"

* * *

**Okay, so I'm currently at the library, typing this up and posting it, because guess what, kiddies: my laptop got a virus! Yay. XP Meaning I won't be able to update anything until probably the weekend. And I don't think I'd fancy going to the library every day...**


	156. Sappy

**Looseleaf**

**CLVI. Sappy**

It's dark and it's cold and it's silent, but in the night, Matt whispers, "Mello, I just realized something."

Half-asleep, the blond replied, "Wha'?"

"Us..." Matt smiled weakly. "We're just being held together by promises."

"Matt." Mello scooted over to the redhead, wrapping protective arms around him. "No matter what kind of insecurities you're feeling now, get it through your thick head that I _love you_. Promises or not, I'm never leaving you."

There was silence for a minute.

"Hey Mels?"

"What?"

"Thanks for being sappy for my sake."

"Yeah, yeah."

Matt slept with a smile that night.

* * *

**In celebration of my virus-free laptop and my first ever digital art. Do I feel accomplished? Much so. X3**

**http:/(slash)lyerta(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Held-Together-By-Promises-188644541**

**Off to write Misery.  
**


	157. Giving Thanks

**Looseleaf**

**CLVII. Giving Thanks**

"This year, I am very thankful for chocolate not going extinct," Mello said solemnly over a plate of fried chicken(courtesy of a nearby Wegman's).

"Chocolate is not an animal," Matt retorted, "nor is it a living thing in general."

"Shut up. This was your idea, so I get to say whatever I want." Mello re-situated himself in his seat, re-folding his hands. "I'm also thankful for my puppy."

Matt racked at his brain, trying to remember any memories of a puppy. "I don't think we ever had a pet," he said distantly. "Wait...Mello!" he snapped. "You don't happen to be talking about-"

"And I'm also thankful that the puppy can hack," Mello said in an innocent voice, eyes still closed and hands still folded. "And that he can give great-"

"Mello!" Matt cried, turning pink in the cheeks. "I am, in no means, _not _a furry..._thing _that likes to unleash urine upon poor fire hydrants."

Mello opened his eyes, something like pleasure visible in his blue orbs.

"No," Matt said firmly before he could suggest anything. "_No."_

Mello only shot him a faux innocent look, getting up to 'close the curtains.' He paused at the window. "Hey Matty," he cooed, "there's a fire hydrant across the road..."

* * *

**No Matt was severely humiliated, killed, harmed mentally and physically, put through exertious torture, nor forced to wear a puppy suit...nor any other article of clothing at all. **

**But seriously, no Matt was harmed. ^ ^  
**


	158. Genre

**Looseleaf**

**CLVIII. Genre**

"Matt," Mello said sweetly, straddling the gamer's lap, snatching the game from his hands, and throwing it beside his shoulder. Ignoring the surprised squeak that Matt gave as he reached for his game back, Mello continued, "If you were a book, I'd say you'd be a thriller." He winked.

Matt frowned. "Well, you'd be a horror," he said bluntly.

Mello slapped him and left the room.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait... Got caught up in Junjo Romantica. *cough***


	159. Surviving

**Looseleaf**

**CLIX. Surviving**

"Matt, I really can't survive without you," Mello said, barging into the room.

"Yeah, you'd kill yourself trying to grate chocolate," Matt said, rolling his eyes.

Mello slapped him for the second time that day, and thundered out of the room with an indignant shout of, "That was a one time thing!"

* * *

**Mean Matt is mean. :P**

**Anyway, I got absolutely NOTHING done over this weekend. I haven't even started my part for IWFJ, so Holli, if you're reading this, gomen... T-T The joys of homework. XP  
**


	160. Birthdays

**Looseleaf**

**CLX. Birthdays**

"Hey, Mels."

The blond woke up to the sight of his best friend leaning over him, smiling. "Happy birthday," Matt said, and produced a small wrapped box from behind his back, decorated brightly with ribbons.

"All right, who did you pay for this?" Mello said, half joking as he sat up and received his present.

Matt's face turned pink. "No one!" he squeaked. "I made it myself. Especially for you," he added cheekily.

When he saw that Mello was about to open the present, he remembered _exactly _what he got him and hastily stood up. "Well, I'm going to get your birthday breakfast now," the redhead said quickly. "Be right back!" He fled from the room before Mello could blink.

Mello shrugged to himself and unwrapped the present, opened the box that it revealed. And inside was a ring box, and inside that ring box was a glittering silver promise ring.

Smiling softly, Mello delicately picked up the ring and slid it onto his ring finger.

Then Mello reached over for the laptop on the beside table to search how much exactly this had cost the redhead. When he was about to start a new window, though, Mello noticed that there was already another one opened. So he clicked on it, planning just to make a new tab. When the window opened, Mello saw that someone had searched 'what to get your best friend for their birthday.'

He heard someone near the door. Mello closed the laptop shut and quickly put it back where it belonged. Matt came in not a second after, carrying a tray full of chocolate brownies and several chocolate bars.

Mello grinned knowingly to himself, but patted the space on the bed next to him anyway. As Matt smiled back and went to sit with him, Mello said to himself, _Well, it's the thought that counts, right?_

_

* * *

_**Happy late birthday, Mello... I swear, this would have been up yesterday if it weren't for the recurring virus. I had to do a system restore numerous times. XP**_  
_


	161. Insults, Arc I

**Looseleaf**

**CLXI. Insults, Arc I**

Matt and Mello were anything but childish. They were devoted to their studies, they worked hard, they never participated in such silly nonsense games such as an insult war, they completely detested those who-

Oh, who are we kidding?

Of course those two would be participating in something like that.

"Face it, Matt," Mello said, having been the one to start the petty fight. "You're so short that when it rains, you're always the last to know."

Matt glared. Mello had no right to abuse the fact that Matt was nearly a foot shorter than he was! "But what about you?" he asked with faux innocent. "You're as gorgeous as a picture. I'd love to hang you."

"Why don't you try some soul-searching first?" Mello scoffed in return. "You might just find one."

"Maybe after you see a therapist. I heard that group therapies were cheaper, how about that? You can go to one all by yourself, considering how many times you switch personalities during your 'time of the month,' " Matt retorted.

"Before you came here, to the cafeteria, I was hungry," Mello said with a scowl, "but now I'm fed up."

Matt rolled his eyes. "You know," he said conversationally, "I'd like to see things in _your _point of view, but I can't seem to get my head that far up your ass."

"Oh, I suppose that's good, then," Mello said. "After all, when people look at you, they clap...their hands over their eyes."

"If you were my husband, I'd poison your tea," Matt snarled.

"If you were my wife, I'd gladly drink it," Mello growled.

Matt turned a bright shade of red before turning around and stalking off, ignoring many stares from orphans.

This wasn't over yet.

* * *

**All insults found on internet. 8D And if you have one, do share. I'd like to see how I can incorporate it into the next arc. :D**


	162. Insults, Arc II

**Looseleaf**

**CLXII. Insults, Arc II**

"Matt~!" Mello chirped, entering their room with a big smile. "Since I turned fifteen last week, Roger finally let me go out the gates!"

"Cool," Matt said.

"So I just came back from the beauty parlor," Mello babbled.

"Too bad they were closed," Matt cut in languidly.

A bright pink blush rose to Mello's cheeks. "Do I need to remind someone of their height?" he said, his tone sugary sweet with a hint of malice.

Matt glanced up briefly. "I didn't know you were able to remember that many numbers at a time..." he trailed off, looking a little amused.

"Smoking is a dying art," Mello said, glaring, waving the pack of smokes around.

"I smoke _carefully _blended mixtures that taste like paper on fire," Matt amended.

"After _'meeting' _you, I've decided to be in favor of abortion in cases of homosexual rape," Mello told him.

Matt quirked a smile. "Are you admitting that you were uke?" he implored, giving a wink.

"Excuse me, I think you've mistaken me for someone who gives a damn," Mello said hotly, crossing his arms and turning away.

"But you do give a damn," Matt said. He pouted in order to mask the smile that was threatening to show. "But I'll defend, to your death, my right of opinion. If it makes you feel any better."

Mello ignored him. "I like you. You're such a smartass. I bet you'd be able to sit on a tub of ice cream and tell me what flavor it is," Mello said as a matter-of-factly.

"I like you too," Matt said with a fake smile. "People say that I have no taste in men, but I like you."

"I know you like me," Mello said, ignoring his own blush, "I can see your tail wagging."

"But I do like you," Matt said, pouting and moving closer. He smiled, looping his arms around Mello's neck and leaning in.

And he kissed him.

When they pulled away, Mello sputtered, "I'd knee you in the balls, but I have a feeling that you'll hit my with your man purse."

"You mean the one I borrowed from you?" Matt purred.

Mello rolled his eyes, yanked him forward, and kissed him again.

This wasn't over yet.

They were just taking a short break.

* * *

**That 'I know you like me' line is thanks to Mello's Yellow Jello. Any others will probably be used in the next one. c:**


	163. Miracles

**Looseleaf**

**CLXIII. Miracles**

Matt never believed in Christmas miracles, but as he stood there in his and Mello's shared room watching said blond reading a Christmas card, Matt found himself hoping to receive one.

For he, Matt Jeevas, gamer extraordinaire, had just given his roommate and love interest a Christmas card with a declaration of love in it. While Mello was a genius, he was also pretty oblivious at times. And so that was why Matt was muttering to himself, "I believe, I believe, I believe..." because right now, he could _not _afford Mello not realizing that Matt had a crush on him.

"Hm," the chocoholic said pensively as he put the card down.

"I believe, I believe, I believe," Matt was still mumbling, as if that would make Mello run and kiss him breathless.

"What are you mumbling?" Mello asked, giving him a weird look. Then he shook his head. "Never mind. Just take this," he handed Matt the card, "and give it back to whichever girl told you to give it to me."

"I beli-" Matt broke off abruptly, dark blue eyes narrowing behind goggles. "Sure," he said through gritted teeth.

"Okay. And tell them to stop giving me Valentine's Day cards as well," Mello added, turning back to his notebook.

"Sure," Matt repeated. Seething, he _very calmly _exited the room, hand balling up the card in his hand.

So much for miracles.


	164. Insults, Arc III

**Looseleaf**

**CLXIV. Insults, Arc III**

Matt was excited. He was very excited. Not only had he drawn Mello for his Secret Santa, but apparently L had drawn the redhead's name; that was definitely something the usually lazy gamer found worth of drooling over.

"You know," Mello said flippantly, still sour from finding out that his name hadn't been chosen by L, "I'm surprised you don't have bad luck, seeing as every mirror you look into practically breaks."

In the midst of his daydreaming of the presents that he could get, Matt turned to glare at his friend. "And I'm surprised no one has given you any money yet," he shot back, "seeing as you make a point of dressing as a prost-"

"That's because there's only one being that can touch me that intimately," Mello sniffed indignantly.

"Your right hand?" Matt sniggered.

"Near."

Matt froze. "You did not just-" he shook his head in disbelief. "No! You did _not _just say that little twit's-"

"But I did," Mello told him smugly, feeling a swell of pride at Matt's incredulous face. "Would you like me to repeat it?"

"No!" Matt shrilled. He narrowed his eyes sharply; if Mello was allowed to torture him like this, then why shouldn't there be retaliation? "But don't hate me because I'm special," he said snidely. "Hate me because _L_ thinks I am!"

Predictably, Mello's eyes widened. He recovered quickly. "Near and I are so happy together because opposites attract," he said. "Keeping that fact in mind, I hope you meet someone intelligent, well-groomed, and charming someday."

"You have a face only a mother can love," Matt said with a roll of his eyes. "Too bad she hated it too."

"My mother's dead, asshole!" At the sore topic, Mello shifted uncomfortably.

Matt noticed this and plowed on, "You look uncomfortable. Why don't you let me help you slip into something more comfortable...like a coma."

"All I have to do is look at your face and that would do the trick," Mello quipped. "Seriously, I've seen people like you, but I had to pay an admission fee!"

"That's too bad. You got conned," Matt said. "You'd happened to be in the cage next to me."

"So you admit that you're ugly!" Mello said triumphantly.

"Is that why you were all over my face yesterday?" Matt said sweetly.

A beat of silence.

"Honestly, you must have been missing when they were handing out intelligence," Mello grumbled despite of his blushing face. "And they must have given you a wooden carving instead."

"Are _you _admitting that your intelligence is not actually yours and thus your geniusness is invalid?" Matt asked.

Mello scrambled for something to retort. Matt took the pause as an opportunity to snipe another comment. "Don't let your mind wander," he said. "It's too stupid to be on its own."

"I'd really slap you," Mello said hotly, "but I fear you'd hit me with your man purse."

"We've been through this already," Matt sighed. "I borrowed that purse from _you_."

"Go crawl in a hole and die!" Mello shouted, before making his dramatic exit from their room.

Matt snickered as the blond left; he reached under his bed and pulled out his book, _101 Insults and Put Downs_, turned to a bookmarked page, and continued where he'd left off.

Just in case Mello came back for more.

* * *

**I honestly don't think that I'll be able to update anything between now and the end of December, in the least. Just putting it out there in case it does happen. :I**


	165. Radars

**Looseleaf**

**CLXV. Radars**

"Mello!" Matt stormed into their room, looking furious. "Mello! Answer me _now_!"

"Matt!" Mello raged back. "You didn't ask me anything!"

Matt wasn't deterred. "Am I gay?" he demanded shamelessly.

"W-what?" Mello dropped the chocolate he was eating. "What the hell?"

Matt walked over to him and firmly grasped both sides of his head. "Mello," he said slowly, "am I gay?"

Mello blinked. "Well, I don't think I'm really in the position to be telling you whether or not you're gay..." He frowned. "Why do you want to know, anyways?"

"Because that new gay kid tells me I am," Matt sniffed. "He says his 'gaydar' went off the moment he saw me. I really-" He was cut off when Mello kissed him, abruptly and right on cue at the same time.

"Now," Mello said, cheeks flushed when he pulled away. "Did you like that?"

"Yes," Matt said, looking dazed.

"Then you're gay. Or maybe just bi."

"Nah, I'm gay."

"Oh. Okay." Mello wasn't exactly sure what had transpired, except that now Matt was hiding a smirk as he turned away. "Matt?"

"Well, I'll be off to get some brownies then," the redhead chirped. "Oh, and Mel."

Mello raised an eyebrow.

"The gay kid wants to meet you." As Matt left, Mello thought he heard him snicker, "And I can't _wait _to see what his 'gaydar' says about you!"

* * *

**The idea came up in one of my conversations with my brother. XD**

**Also, though this isn't the right story, I got my first fanart! :3 It's by the awesome pieluver64 from deviantArt. They drew Blair from Misery.**

**pieluver64 [dot] deviantart [dot] com/art/Blair-191586496**

**Honestly, I loved the way they drew him, because upon first sight you wouldn't know he's actually gay. XD  
**


	166. Tomatoes

**Looseleaf**

**CLXVI. Tomatoes**

"Mels, pass the tomato," Matt ordered. He tried to look as intimidating as he could in an apron with his messy red hair tied back in a ponytail. The gamer was, for the first time, attempting to make his own tomato sauce for his pasta. As silly as he looked, he was rather passionate about cooking.

Mello handed him the ingredient. "Mattie," he whined, "we could be doing something so much more _productive _right now." He hoped the redhead would catch the double meaning, but all Matt did was start humming the Junjou Romantica theme song as he stirred the pot full of pasta. Mello frowned. "And besides, isn't it to-ma-toh?" He put on a slight accent as he said this.

Matt sighed. "It's just like that thing with the word 'potato,' " he said. "The proper pronounciation is _potato_," he pronounced the 'a' with a long sound. "Therefore you say tomato like tomato."

"That's bullshit."

Matt sighed again. "Of course you think it is."

A brief silence. "To-ma-toh," Mello said loudly and boredly, for a lack of a better thing to do. "To-ma-toh." He indulged himself with repeating the word over and over again.

"Tomato," Matt spoke up irately.

"To-ma-toh," Mello countered.

"Tomato."

"To-ma-_toh_."

"Tomato."

"Wannahavesex?"

"Toma- What?" Matt's eyes sharpened.

"I said, what's next?" Mello clarified. "You know, the next ingredient you want me to hand over...?" he offered meekly.

"I thought so," Matt snapped, grabbing another tomato by himself. He was so angry that he clutched it too tightly; the tomato was squashed under his fist rather tumultuously, sending its remains flying to the redhead's face.

"Well," Mello said brightly, "at least you were wearing an apron."

Matt stalked off to the bathroom.

* * *

**I know, I haven't updated Looseleaf in a long time... And could it be that it took so long because of a certain anime called Hetalia? And a little pairing called PruCan?**

**...maybe.  
**


	167. Knives

**Looseleaf**

**CLXVII. Knives**

"Matt!" came a sharp call from their living room. "Get me chocolate!"

A redhead emerged, frowning. "We ran out, Mello," he said slowly. "You finished them last night. I was going to go to the store today, but our apartment's practically buried by the snow..."

"Go make me some, then," Mello insisted.

"You know that I wouldn't survive in the kitchen all by myself!" Matt exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air dramatically.

Mello mumbled something.

"What?" Matt asked.

"I said, of course you wouldn't survive in the kitchen by yourself," Mello growled. "And neither would you survive if I was there with you. Know why, Matty?"

Matt was slowly beginning to inch towards his vest in case he needed to, ah..._leave._ "Why, Mels?"

"Because the kitchen's where all the knives are!" Mello said gleefully.

Matt gulped. _Oh great, he's coming closer..._

_Closer..._

_Clo-_

_OW! My hair! Oh god, don't do this Mello, please please please, I'll be go-_

_Well, shit._

_

* * *

_**Matt got thrown out. D:**_  
_


	168. Russia

**Looseleaf**

**CLXVIII. Russia**

Mello didn't hate Christmas. It was one of his most favorite holidays, in fact-second to his birthday, that is. The only part he really hated about the festive holiday was the part where all the decorations had to be cleaned up. The day after Christmas, he'd manage to pry Matt away from his games long enough to help the blond put away the Christmas tree.

It took a lot of work. Mello was glad to have that done with.

But unfortunately, on a regular morning of January 7th, the mafia boss woke up to the sight of the Christmas decorations back in place.

"Matt?" he called, stepping carefully around the creepy Ded Moroz doll that had been placed in the middle of the hallway. Said redhead was hanging another ornament on the tree. "What the hell are you doing?" Mello demanded. "It's," he glanced at the clock, "eight in the morning and you're putting up Christmas decorations?"

Matt turned around sheepishly. "Oh," he said softly upon seeing his lover. "Merry Christmas," he said cheerfully.

"That was about a week and a half ago!" Mello roared.

"It's Christmas in Russia," Matt insisted.

Mello went stiff. "Matt," he said slowly, "are you even Russian?"

Matt faltered. "Well, no, but-"

"Then we don't have a reason to put all this shit up again!" Mello said exasperatedly. "Come on, help me clean up."

"No." Matt attacked him with a sudden hug. "Pleasepleaseplease Mello, let's keep them up for today!"

"We're not Russians!" came the protest as Mello beat on his head in an attempt to get the redhead off.

"No, but we can pretend to be and drink vodka!" Matt offered. His face was still buried in Mello's nightshirt and he held him tightly, refusing to let go.

Mello paused. "Vodka?"

Matt nodded. Still, he didn't look up. "I got some last night."

Mello stared pensively at the Christmas tree. When Matt was drunk, he... Mello took a sudden change of expression. "I suppose it can't hurt," he said finally.

"Yay!" Matt gave him a kiss on the cheek before bounding to the kitchen. "I'll get the vodka!"

Mello only chuckled evilly.

* * *

**I think I like writing rapist!Mello a tad bit too much...**


	169. Nationalities

**Looseleaf**

**CLXIX. Nationalities**

When Mello one day walked into Matt curled up on the couch, one hand feeding himself pizza and the other down a bag of Doritos, eyes glued to a horror movie showing on the screen, the blond only rolled his eyes and sighed. "You're so _American_," he said wearily, emphasizing the last word.

Matt only stuck his middle finger up at him and kept watching.

"Sometimes I wish you were French," Mello said sourly, before sitting down to join him.

"You only wish that so you can have an excuse to be snogging me," Matt said.

Mello didn't bother denying it.

* * *

**[To Americans: no offense intended with this chapter C=] The insults arc will eventually come back. XD  
**


	170. Grasshoppers

**Looseleaf**

**CLXX. Grasshoppers**

"Matt?" Mello padded over to where the redhead was, his wet feet slapping across the grass with squashing noises. "You dragged me all the way here today to swim, and you haven't even changed into your swimming trunks yet."

Matt looked up at him noiselessly before looking back down. "Sorry, I got distracted watching this grasshopper..."

Mello squatted down next to him and followed his line of sight, eyes landing on a green bug perched on the edge of the swimming pool. Before Mello could ask what the hell it was doing, the grasshopper promptly hopped off and landed with a small _plop! _in the water.

Matt started giggling like crazy as Mello tried to asses the situation. "Mel, just watch," Matt said, eyes twinkling with mirth.

So Mello watched. He eyed the floating carcass of the grasshopper in the water. About five seconds later, he saw something trying to wriggle out from the grasshopper's mouth.

"Ew." Mello made a face. "What is it _doing_?"

"That's a parasite," Matt explained, pointing at the black worm that was now beginning to emerge from the grasshopper. "It's called a hairworm. Lately, there's been a lot of them around here."

Mello blinked in shock as the worm finally freed itself and swam away.

"Now it's going to breed," Matt continued.

"Oh...okay..." Mello was quite speechless. "Let's never go to a public swimming pool again, okay?" he said after a few moments.

"Agreed," Matt said solemnly. "Besides, we have our bathtub."

"Right you are."

* * *

**Hairworm: Makes its way into a grasshopper's body before eating all the insides that the insect wouldn't need to live. After that, it somehow induces it to jump into the nearest pool of water, which is almost always a swimming pool. **

**Yes, this insect does exist. And yes, poor grasshoppers have been committing suicides. D=  
**


	171. Small

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXI. Small**

"Hey Mello," Matt said in a rather blank tone, looking up at the ceiling.

"What is it?" Mello replied, sounding equally bored next to him.

There was a brief pause before Matt continued, "Have you ever wondered if there were other beings out there, besides humans?"

Mello arched an eyebrow. "Aliens?"

"No. Like..." Matt frowned, trying to think of the right word. "...some sort of...divine creature...?" He shifted so he was facing the blond. "Just imagine it, Mels," he said. "Someone could be up there-never mind, they can be _anywhere_-and they can control whatever we say and do!"

Mello rolled his eyes. "Maybe," he said, "on the day we have a yaoi fanclub."

Matt blinked.

And stared.

"Heh, you're probably right," he muttered, going back to his original position. "I thought it'd just be cool, y'know?" Two thoughts were running through the gamer's head at this moment:

1) Find out how Mello knows what 'yaoi' means

2) Close the MattxMello Fanclub homepage he'd opened on his laptop

* * *

**I've been really slow at updating these last couple of days... But worry not! Misery _should_ be up by tomorrow, and I'm sending the next chapter for IWFJ to Holli... I'll make up for the lateness, I swear it! D:  
**


	172. Endearing

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXII. Endearing**

For Mello, that morning of January 18th was very peaceful and very warm. Sighing, the blond cuddled(yes, he liked to cuddle) closer to the source of the heat. A small squeak emanated from the lump beside him and Mello smiled. Dammit, Matt was so cute sometimes.

"Matty," he began to rouse the redhead, but stopped. He untangled himself from Matt's clinging arms and gently pulled the blanket down. Okay, he'd admit it: he loved watching Matt sleep, no matter how creepy that sounded. There was just an aura around the gamer in the morning that made Mello want to hug him to death.

Matt yawned, his mouth widening cutely. Mello smiled as he pulled the rest of the blanket down, before freezing.

Because, lo and behold, Matt was lying there, _looking like a four year old._

No, not looking like a four year old with those ridiculous puppy boxers, but _literally _looking like a four year old. Nightgown, chubby face, tiny hands, and everything.

Oh god.

"Matt?" Mello squeaked, because, really, at this point, he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Matt's eyes fluttered open and he stared up at Mello with a sleepy, half-lidded gaze. "Hm?"

Mello blinked.

The redhead was back to normal.

The chocoholic didn't know whether to be disappointed that the overwhelmingly cute Matt was gone, or to be relieved that Matt was normal again, because the _things _they had done the previous night wouldn't really have been appropriate for children. Strangely, the former of the choices was winning...

"Morning." Mello just leaned down and kissed the tip of Matt's nose.

Matt nuzzled into him, looking confused at the displays of affections, but soaking them in nonetheless.

_Never mind_, Mello thought. _He's just as cute now._

* * *

**I feel like a butt. ._. In the midst of finishing the latest Misery chapter last night(Sunday was hectic and to be honest, I got nothing productive done), my computer shut down on me. Curse you, low battery level. D:**

**So the chapter is probably going to be delayed. AGAIN. Dammit. **

**On a brighter note, happy birthday, Prussia~  
**


	173. Blue

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXIII. Blue**

"Mels, what's wrong?" Matt asked worriedly, tilting the blond's chin upward. "You look so...blue!"

Mello glowered, but gave a strained smile. "Well, Matty," he said sweetly, "I'm actually feeling a bit maroon today, and a little green from the pressure that's been building up in me these past few days."

When Matt opened his mouth to ask a question, Mello interjected, "And there's a risk of me suddenly feeling purple and 'accidentally' punching you in the jaw if you keep talking to me, thus _reminding _me of what I should actually be doing right now, so please..."

Matt nodded understandingly, though a little scared and confused. "I'll be in the bedroom, then...I guess..." He slowly inched away, pretending not to see Mello's eyes flicker over to the closet where that ax was...

* * *

**Mello couldn't think of a birthday present to give Matt. He was pretty frustrated. *nod***

**Also, ARRRRRGHHHH! I completely forgot about M/M's death day! *multiple headdesks* I'm not going to lie: I was too busy in the Hetalia fandom. XP This is why I try to avoid obsessing over two different fandoms at the same time...Grr.**

**Happy note: Matt's birthday's coming up~!  
**


	174. Unbelievable

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXIV. Unbelievable**

"No. You did _not_." Matt stood, gaping, eyes nearly as wide as dinner plates as he stared.

Mello smirked. "Oh, but I did."

A beat of silence.

Then, "Ohmygodthankyouthankyou!" Matt launched himself at Mello. "I love you _so much_!"

Mello grinned, patting the redhead's back. "You like it?" he asked redundantly.

"Hell yes!"

The mafia boss stepped back and watched, amused, as Matt picked up the AK-47 Flamethrower. "Sweet! Does it really work?" he said to no one in particular. He aimed at their window and pulled the trigger.

The sound of shattering glass answered his question.

"It has a built in flamethrower," Mello said. "Here, do this..." And then he proceeded to show the ecstatic gamer how to switch into flamethrower mode.

Five minutes later, as Mello watched Matt burn miscellaneous things around their front yard, he smiled and thought, _I'd really do anything for him._

_

* * *

_**Happyhappyhappybirthday to Matt~~~**

**I doubt that a real AK-47 Flamethrower exists, but it was on COD: Black Ops. I remember thinking, 'Man, I'd love to get one of these for my birthday.' 8D  
**


	175. Stranger

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXV. Stranger**

Matt usually stayed up longer, way past midnight, but on this particular night he was exhausted. Waiting for Mello to come home from the Mafia had never been a problem before, so he had no idea why he fell asleep early.

His sleep, however, was cut short when there was a clatter from the kitchen.

The redhead bolted upwards on the couch. He tugged his goggles down to his neck and tried his best to see through the darkness. There wasn't anything there, but he swore that he felt like he wasn't alone.

Cautiously, he got up and made his way to the kitchen. In the darkness, he managed to grope and find a frying pan. Wielding it as a weapon, he kept going until he was out of the kitchen and instead in front of the bathroom. The lights were on. He wondered who was there...

The door opened, and **wham!**

"Ow! Matt, you fucker!" the 'intruder' hissed.

"Mello?" Matt still struggled to see in the lack of light. "God, I thought you were a kidnapper or something!"

"That frying pan hurt, you dolt."

A few seconds later, Matt finally found the light switch. He flipped it on, and then stared at his roommate. Particularly at his roommate's swelling bruise. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Mello sighed. "It's okay, I've had worse." Then he smirked, just a little. "But now you have to play nurse, got it?"

* * *

**I feel really bad for not putting a note up sooner, but I had absolutely no time... Anyway, please go to my profile for an explanation of my stories, or lack thereof. In the meantime, I hope I'll get to see you guys again soon.:)**


	176. Ten Years Later

**a/n:  
** ...go re-read chapter 85 before you read this.

* * *

**Looseleaf**

**CLXXVII**. **Ten Years Later**

"Hey Matt," Mello casually began, throwing an arm languidly across the back of their beaten-up couch. Across him, the redhead briefly glanced up from his game.

Matt made a noise of acknowledgement, but didn't pause his game. (What? Tekken was pretty important!)

Mello smirked, cocking his head to the side. "Remember that time you bowed down to me?"

The various beeping noises from Matt's DS stopped.

A few seconds later, the device collided with Mello's forehead.


End file.
